<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>They came from the star by A_servant_of_Krishna</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28174455">They came from the star</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_servant_of_Krishna/pseuds/A_servant_of_Krishna'>A_servant_of_Krishna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kirby (Video Games), Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, I Blame Tumblr, I Don't Even Know, I like putting Layer and Axl in Kigurumi, I ow Masahiro Sakurai so much., Kigurumi, Kirby is legitimatly more powerful then Sephyroth, Krishna (God) Gave me the go ahead for a stupid idea, Mystery, The Kirby Character's are Vaishnava's because...why not, Tumblr Prompt, pre X-8, that blog that scientificaly calculate Kriby's strenght is real..., the Lor starcutter is a person.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:02:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>34,359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28174455</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_servant_of_Krishna/pseuds/A_servant_of_Krishna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One night, while star gazing, X and Zero made an encouter of the fourth type.</p><p>And encouter that changed everything.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magolor &amp; Lor starcutter, X &amp; Zero, X/Zero (Rockman)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Return to earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>just a weird idea God happened to like...as confirmed by a tumbler post.</p><p>Also...just look at Star dream's first phase (not the cat one ) and tell me he doesn't look like something out of Megaman legend.</p><hr/><p>X looked up the unlimited firmament of stars that flooded the dark sky. He was away from the hunter's HQ...away from the light that had robbed humanities of the nightly spectacle with a so-called promise of safety.</p><p>He sighed...this was the only good thing the maverick war had given him...he could finally see the trillions of stars and planets in their full glories. Even the milky-way seemed to be a solid mass of white.</p><p>It was breathtaking...and it caused the blue bomber to think...to wonder what was his ultimate purpose in the practically unlimited universe.</p><p>He was so small...and no matter what action he seemed to take, no matter what he tried to do...</p><p>nothing would change...</p><p>no, that was not quite right...things would change. For the worst.</p><p>It was always for the worst...and X sometimes wondered if...if the only reason why peace was never achievable was due to his presence.</p><p>The blue android peered at the sea of stars...wondering if...if somebody was out there, other civilizations, aliens that were so advanced, they could fix everything that had gone wrong.</p><p>But X knew...those same aliens were probably staying as far away from the dead world as possible, bidding their time until the sigma virus destroyed everything...</p><p>"X?" Zero addressed his friend. "What are you doing out there?" he asked as he came up the blue android.</p><p>"I shoudl ask you that Zero. How did you manage to sneak up on me like that? I didn't even hear you coming!"</p><p>The Red ripper shrugged as he moved closer to his friend. " If I don't want to, no one can hear me." he explained simply. "So...why did you leave Alia the pleasure to explain why you're not in the latest war council?" he mildly scolded as he slung an arm over X's armour clad shoulder.</p><p>X sighed... "Zero...do you...do you sometimes wonder why...why everything exists?" he asked his best friend, holding his arms closer.</p><p>Zero's handsome face grew sombre. "...All the time..."</p><p>"human and reploid researchers...they say everything was just a slurry at first and then...something happened, the big bang...and everything came to be..." He huffed. "But...is this really it? Everything...that everything is essentially meaningless?" he walked out of Zero's arms and began to gesticulate. " And that...that there's no end goal, no reason just...oblivion" X gestured as he let his tears fall, his frustration and helplessness finally breaking forth trough. "Why do we exist? Is it just to die at the end?" he raised his arms to the star-filled sky.</p><p>"X..."</p><p>"We tried protecting humans...we gave our lives for them...I...Humans...most of them are dead by now." X dropped his hands as reality crashed upon him. "My old friends...doctor Cain, Emily, Guy...Eric, Frederick..." he let his tears fall... "Our job...protecting...protecting humans...it's...it's useless...isn't it?" he looked at his best friend, his heartbreaking in millions of little pieces...and breaking g Zero's already shattered heart even further.</p><p>Both remained silent. No one in H.Q had met a human save for X and Zero...and all of those whom they knew...had died.</p><p>Either from a maverick attack, disease, malnutrition or...time.</p><p>X...had been tasked by his father, doctor light to protect humanity...but how could he? when time was all it took to end them.</p><p>X returned his jaded glance back at the glorious night sky, indulging in the fact that he could see the entire spectrum of light and radiation.</p><p>It was...beautiful...</p><p>Zero walked closed and warped an arm around his long-time partner, keeping him close and yet careful not to block X's vision of the celestial vault and the sea of stars. "X...you have me..."</p><p>"But for how long?"</p><p>"As long as you'll have me," Zero answered as he held X closer as if to emphasise this point.</p><p>X sigheg and returned his green glance bck at the sea of stars and cosmic radiation. He could see the radiowaves dance with the dark matter and the earth's natural magnetic field.</p><p>It was...a spectacle he would never tired of...he hoped.</p><p>Minutes...maybe even hours past in silence in the arms of his partner, stargazing as to not fall int the despair generated by the current state of the earth.</p><p>And then...another question came. A question that had baffled humans for centiries and would make one appear like a lunatic if asked in the scientific circles.</p><p>"Say...Zee...do you think...do you think God exists?"</p><p>"Ah..." Obliviously, this had caught Zero off guard.</p><p>"Yeah..." X sighed. "even if he did exist...I doubt he would care about us. I mean, why didn't He prevent all of this...right?" X sighed as he rubbed his helmet. Feeling the crushing realization that the universe really was the world's most perfect torture machine.</p><p>He returned to pear at the celestial spectacle that was the sea of stars, thanking his creator for not making his neck with the human limitation.</p><p>Both reploid stood like this, X wrapped in his Zero's arms, This...was their usual night together, just the two of them looking at the stars and X having deep, philosophical thought and question no one had answers to.</p><p>X closed his eyes...it was no use to think of the dark and foreboding future, and while losing himself in the sweet and nostalgic past with his father would do absolutely nothing for him in the end.</p><p>He had to be in the present, in Zero's arms, in the middle of nowhere. With the stars shining above his head, the breeze blowing around them and a dimentional rift opening in the cloud free sky...</p><p>'<em>...what the..!'</em> He uttered as he and his longtime partner broke their embrace as their threat indicator blared to life.</p><p>The two watched in horror as reality was cut open, and through the star-shaped opening... a powder blue ship flew out with the sound of the otherworldly engine.</p><p>At first, X tough it was Sigma again...but then he realized his Ex-commander turned plague would <em>never</em> stoop so low as to use a cutesy, cartooney space-ship...that was just not his style...</p><p>For once, short of Zero (and his now destroyed clone.) knew how to open rift trough Cyber-space.</p><p>Meaning...</p><p>"They exist..."X managed to whisper before his century worth of battle experience kicked in.</p><p>He ran to his land Rider, Zero not far behind, and hopped on. Ridding to where the...alien spaceship would land.</p><p>"Alia! This is X and Zero." He contacted his favourite and best navigator out there.</p><p>"Roger that, X what's wrong? Is it Sigma?" the senior navigator asked, and knowing her, X knew she was already preparing for the worst.</p><p>"No...Aliens..." X send an image file of the flying ship. Now that it was closer to them, the blue bomber could now perceive the star in its side and front, a pair of fluffy wings. Its oars seemed too controlled its descent and its sail was fully stretched by an impossible wind.</p><p>He waited some moment, still following the amazing space ship with Zero, not leaving the alien conveience from his green gaze.</p><p>"X...is this real? It's not...Axl's not pulling a prank on us, is he?" Alia asked, clearly weary.</p><p>"Alia, this is Zero...No, we're not joking. A toy ship just cut a star shaped hole in reality." Zero deadpan. "We'll scout and see what's going on."</p><p>"But...Signas have to...he has to."</p><p>"Nope, I'm pulling some prank on him. X is fully capable of negotiating, and if worst comes, they'll have to face the Red Ripper." Zero spoke with confidence, it was clear the last option would be his favourite.</p><p>By that point, X knew full well of his partner's inclination for violence. But in this war that never ended, to have his blond willing to fight helped the blue bomber to deal with the numerous ordeal.</p><p>"Alia...E.T.A will be in then minute, in the red-canyon. We'll contact you on our first contact." X closed the connection, a feeling of...</p><p>He was excited, truly excited. The scientist, the geek, the one who would send radio-burst after radio burst to try and find another intelligent life form was back, sitting as a copilot the overwrought and ever cautious was veteran!</p><p>He was about to meet aliens! X could only hope and pray to whatever imaginary power was out there that they were friendly, and who knows? Maybe their technology could save planet earth?</p><hr/><p>"Oh Krishna, what a mess." Kamala-Kanta das spoke as he peered at the deserted land of Europe, which used to be Armenia. "We managed to break the winter curse on the planet, let the human outs...and now look what happened!" he showed the wasteland to his friend, gesturing to the largue monitor inside the Lor's control center.</p><p>"Ah told'ja so Kirb, let'em remain without a king-" The Stout King of Dreamland spoke from his seat, a nice Lazy Boy. He was fiddling with his hammer's setting, probably readjusting them after his last spar with Meta knight.</p><p>"And they would exploit everything until Mother Prtvi-devi would hide her opulence again." Kamala finished for his regal friend, Moving away from the screen."</p><p>Dedede clicked his beak. "This ain't how ah said it!"</p><p>"No, but that's basically what happened...you were right, by the way," Kamala admitted, his blue eyes twinkling with humility. Dedede waved it off.</p><p>"Kamal, if I were you, I would prepare to meet the two...hmm." Meta Knight hummed as he peered at the picture of what was happening outside. Their were two...entity of what appeared to be ridding on electromagnetic bikes. One was wearing blue with a red gem in his helmet while the other was adorned in red, black, white and a golden cape majestically blew from the high wind.</p><p>"Hey wait a minute...this ain't a cape, that's her hair!" Dedede exclaimed as he took a better look at the picture. "Well I'll be, never tough a girl could have that muchofa long hair while still looking like a warrior."</p><p>"She must be with the blue boy." Magolor, standing beside Meta knight, pointed out. " And they are definitely going to meet with us."</p><p>"New friends?" Gooey asked as he jiggle with the vibration of the Lor starcutter.</p><p>"Oh, I hope so. They look very kind." Kamala smiled brightly.</p><p>"I'm not sure about the Red one. "Meta Knight stated as he leered at miss red. "By the way she's leering at Lor...I fear for your daughter, Mangalananda." He addressed Magolor.</p><p>"Oh, Don't worry about her. Unlike the Halberd, Lori can take care of herself..." Mangal sent a veiled jab at his best friend, who gave him a gentle shove. " I raised her to be as independent as possible, you know."</p><p>"Not Everyone has the luck on finding a soul in the body of a vimana." Meta Knight grumbled, still soar about the faith of his ship. His Halberd had taken decades to build and thirty minutes to destroy...</p><p>"Anyhow, Lori found a place were she can rest comfortably," Mangalananda spoke as he helped his daughter navigate the canyon. It's dry bed providing an impromptu dock for his girl. "So...who will break the ice?" he asked.</p><p>"I'll see, let them come in and let us all treat 'em as guest." Dedede declared with a genial smile. "we ain't here to face an unconquerable foe, jus some survivor in a place where the rain doesn't fall."</p><p>this was met with approval of most. As usual, Meta knight was reserve...</p><p>but then, that was his job. "No...Let me first check the strength of this sword woman..."</p><p>Kamala-Kanta rolled his eyes as King Dedede howled in laughter. "Madhan! Why do you always fight people the first time you meet them! That;s not Vaishnava behaviour." He scolded.</p><p>"I only fight those warrior's who can take it. And it is clear that she...along with her friend can prove me their might in a duel...and it is also a wonderful ice breaker."</p><p>"Welp, As long as you don't start another war," Dedede smirked as he grinned widely. Having to much fun at the conversation.</p><p>"I did not start a war Dharadhara, those fools were already planing for Chaos." Madhan declared. Not bothering to hide how annoyed at the allegation he was as he wrapped himself tighter in his cape. "They would've used <span>any</span> pretext to start their atrocities." He stated.</p><p>"yep...I know Madhan, I was just teasing you is all." Dharadhara admitted, his broad smile never leaving his lips. "N' I think you would be the best one to greet them. If those two are warrior, who else but another star warrior can speak to 'em. am I right?"</p><p>For his part, Gooey was staring at the screen specifically at Zero.</p><p>He squinted, tilted his whole body and scratched the top of his head with his tongue. And then...</p><p>he had an eureka moment. "Guys, Guys Guys!" He managed to grab everyone's attention. "This blond girls' a boy robot!" He boldly declared as if this was as important as knowing the holy name.</p><p>The rest of the Vaishnava's looked at Gooey...Ghandarva...and then returned to the present topic as to how to make first contact without staring a another potential conflict with the native.</p><p>Ah, the live of interstellar Hare Krishna preacher was never was a dull one. Especialy for this particular group.</p><hr/><p>Back at the base, in the dormitory...</p><p>Layer was knocking on Axl's door. Unwilling to let the rest of the navigator know where she was...and have Signa's know that she was not at her desk combing through data about the rising maverick number...and how those cells seemed more organized than previously seen.</p><p>No. layer had already gathered as much information as she could. And right now...</p><p>Right now she was answering Axl's call for player number two.</p><p>The door opened slightly, and the purple haired reploid could already smell Axl's room.</p><p>Fancy reploid snacks, sweetened energene and one of those fancy candles that released smell potent enough to cover whatever secret treat was there...it was carcinogenic for humans, but since reploids were not humans...</p><p>Dibs! And yes, the only reason why Axl had this particular candle was because he unironicly like the smell.</p><p>And so did Layer.</p><p>"What's the password?" Axl whispered, making the taller navigator chuckle.</p><p>"Itsumademo Guusapi Hoshi no Kaabi!" Layer sang quelty, she knew the song by heart...both of them.</p><p>"Access..." Axl opened to door. "Granted." he gestured the taller and...less armoured Navigator in, his grin broad and filled with anticipation. "Come in Hime, I even got some extra present for you.</p><p>Layer echoed the warm and guileless smile of the youngest of all the maverick hunter. Sure, she may find Zero extremely attractive and X aw-inspiring...but Axl?</p><p>Axl was life, he just wanted to make people happy... without anything in returned.</p><p>She quite liked this mysterious reploid...not as mysterious and oh so tragic as Zero, but his own brand of mysterious.</p><p>She entered the room, it was decorated in a way that evoked old japanesse apartment, there was even an old tube T.V on a lacquered table and a futon both could sat on.</p><p>The futon had more in common with a folding bed, but as Layer had found out, it was still rather comfortable when playing.</p><p>She sat on the soft cushion after removing her boots. Exposing her rather...human looking feet.</p><p>This was something Layer had quickly learned, an F-model was made to look so human...it carried plenty of unfortunate implications.</p><p>And for her, Before Zero found her in the street...it was her reality...as for hundreds of other F-framed units.</p><p>She shook her head, it was int he past now. She was a Navigator, serving the forces of good with her intelligence. Not with her hardware.</p><p>Axl sat beside Layer, he had a rather fancy gift bag in his hands. "Oh...what is it?"</p><p>"It's a present for my best girl Layer." he grinned. "C'mon, open it!" his hands were quivering as if he was about to open the bag for her.</p><p>Layer did...and found...</p><p>"Oh..ah...what is this?" she asked as she pulled out a grey...hoody? Lifting it further, she saw that it was...</p><p>She gasped with a smile. The purple haired reploid had always desired a Kigurumi...a Raccoon kiguruimi!</p><p>Axl grinned, it was clear he knew he had made his sister happy with this gift. "Say...I have my own. I'll say, let's ditch all armour and get cozy. 'snot like maverick activity became worst you know.</p><p>To be very honest, those so called maverick were rather underwhelming, Meaning that X and Zero, the two legend wouldn;t need her anytime soon. Meaning she could have fun with her friend.</p><p>"Agreed!"</p><p>After a few minute spent removing gears and armour, the two reploid now wore animal-themed jumpsuits that covered all their bodies.</p><p>Axl was a golden fox while Layer was a raccoon...</p><p>no...not a tanuki...and actually raccoon.</p><p>"Alright!" Axl stretched his arms above his head. "Ah...this feel <em>soo </em>much better, don;t you thing Hime?"</p><p>"Yes...It does." She nevore got to wear such a covering in her entire activation span...it felt great.</p><p>She didn;t feel as if she was kept as a Navigator for her measurement.</p><p>"Great...but I'm not done yet. I have something else to fill our evening till morning; A Game!" Axl declared as he proudly produced a rectangular Gray cartridge. The sticker long worn by the affect of time.</p><p>Layer giggled. "Axl! Just put it in, I want to see what the final boss is!" She begged as she grabbed controller number two. More then ready to play as Gooey, the good dark matter again.</p><p>"C'mon Hime. It's obliviously dark matter." Axl rolled his eyes as he plugged the ancient cartridge in 'the ultimate gaming station.' (his baby.)</p><p>soon, the machine booted, and the game, Kirby dreamland three was ready to play.</p><p>Bot reploids took their designated place on the couch, ready to end this fight for good when.</p><p>[Axl, Layer. Signas speaking.] Came their commander's voice over the emergency radio line.</p><p>Immediately, the two reploid...after a millisecond of cursing the existence of that damn line and the mavericks in general, answered.</p><p>[Navigator Layer, In.]</p><p>[B-rank rookie Axl D. awesome, in!]</p><p>[We have...] There Signas paused...</p><p>Signa's never paused. He practically wrote his lines before he would speak. Meaning the next thing he was about to say had nothing to do with Maverick, Sigma popping up again or the like.</p><p>Meaning it was either a casulty. (which Axl doubted since he didn't sound annoyed.) or something he had no idea how to deal with.</p><p>[Aliens...as in...not from earth.]</p><p>Needless to say, Both reploid were out of their Kigu and in armour in less then trithy second and out the door in two.</p><hr/><p>In the Hunter H.Q holding cell's, A very peculiar scene was drawing itself to view. X was on his Back, a small ball of hype... a certain Mangalananda was inspecting every one of his seem and ridges, his eyes sparkling with and enthusiasm only Doctor Cain and a few colleague had shown when they had first met X.</p><p>The first contact had been...a very interesting one. But not at all peaceful.</p><p>A blue ball with a silver mask and cape had emerged from the shadow, his dark aura practically screamed of mystery... He had leered at Zero...from the height of 2 feet two inches, then he drew out a sword.</p><p>A seven prone sword...not an energy sword, but a golden sword made of metal.</p><p>Is only words, in English no less had been...</p><p>'<em>Fight me'.</em></p><p>This was all it took for Zero and the mysterious alien knight thing to start an all-out fight...and as Zero had been distracted, the rest of the mates came out of the ship to meet X.</p><p>They were... rater small and spherical, the only one that was somewhat above X's knee was...</p><p>Was it a penguin wearing an ancient Japanese robe? And...this was a rather big wooden hammer to carry around. And was it a rabbit embroider in his back? Never the less, he had folded his palm and greeted X with a very jovial 'Hare Krishna' presenting himself, in a very human and earthly sountern drawl as DharaDhara Das.</p><p>After this greeting, the rest followed suit.</p><p>The second one made all of X's threat array light up like the sky during the now-defunct fourth of July.</p><p>And when he came into view...first he checked his system and confirmed that no, they were not glitched of calibrated, the pink ball really was a critical threat.</p><p>X stared...it had long eyes, their colour seemingly blue to him. And a mark on his forehead.</p><p>Ų</p><p>oh...and his feet...shoes were red.</p><p>Speaking of which, they all wore the same marking. And all seemed to glow with an otherworldly effulgence. Especially the <em>'</em>boring' pink one.</p><p>And to be honest, it was his simplicity that scared the century-old reploid...wasn;t he himself simple in design and yet filled with an unlimited amount of power?</p><p>He was X...he could be whatever he wanted.</p><p>The creature had smile, looking deceptively adorable.</p><p>"Ha-a-ai!" It had greeted like a child...to which X had waved back.</p><p>At least...he didn't ask for a fight.</p><p>There was another...X didn;t know if it could qualify as a creature since it was basically a slime with a pair of googly eyes, a mouth...and a tongue.</p><p>It had wave at X with the long, thick and seemingly prehensile appendage.</p><p>X...awkwardly waved back.</p><p>The second one was...he didn;t have any feet and his cloth and hat bore a golden gear. His hands were disconnected from his body, a white cape with a golden border floated behind him and a pair of yellow eyes peered from under an admittedly adorable hat.</p><p>This Alien, by the name of Mangalananda... (that was Hindi name.) had taken one look at X before <span>demanding</span> to be taken into custody... with X as their warden or else.</p><p>Request granted... and now X was currently laying on the floor in a holding cell with an alien ball of happy researcher <span>gushing!</span> About how he could not believe he had found yet another artifact.</p><p>Being so old, and used to be prodded by scientist, X simply let it happen. For it seemed a better way to keep this new arrival in the cell and not warping all over the place, gushing about all the reploids in the base.</p><p>"Amazing...simply amazing," Mangala muttered again as he ran his hands over X's buster. "Oh how I wish to bring you back at my Lab on the Lor... I simply need to know if your from-"</p><p>"Hey, Mangala, maybe you should stop caressing mister X's buster like that." Dharadhara das spoke from his seat. He looked...uncomfortable at his friends display and enthusiasm. "You're making me feel as if Ah was witnessing an alien autopsy. and Kamala-Kantha told yah to hold yer enthusiasm... ain't that right Kamal?</p><p>But, Kamala was more interested with napping beside Gandharva das.</p><p>Dedede grumbled as he leaned his face on his glove covered hand.</p><p>"Indeed. Mago, the way you are treating our host is most shameful." Madhan-Mohan das scowled, his displeasure at Mangalananda evident in his tone and eyes...the only part of his face shown.</p><p>Hearing his friend, Mangala returned to reality and hurriedly deposited X's arm down. "Oh, I apologize, I got carried away by this most amazing and astonishing body you have." He praised. "Really, I'm wondering if, perhaps, it was Vishvakarma himself that made it."</p><p>At the side, Axl did his best not to burst in laughter.</p><p>X sat up and glanced at the to way mirror. [Alia...?] He addressed his designated Navigator, and what he received trough his com was a burst her unrestrained laughter. [Alia...please, don't make it worst.]</p><p>[I'm...I'm sorry X. I didn;t expect to saw the father of all reploids being prodded by an alien.]</p><p>[At least I'm not being torn to pieces.] He muttered. [So...hows Zero?] X asked about his friend as he sat up, being helped by Dharadhara das, the penguin.</p><p>He was...rather strong for his size.</p><p>[Zero's arm are being reattached as we speak. He'll be a pain to deal with until his pride heal, but he should be fine.] Alia conveyed.</p><p>"Ere you go boy, never saw a young man as tolerant as you," he spoke with a very define southern accent. "If I would've been in you same situation, I would've clobber the guy."</p><p>"Oh..I'm used to it." Very used to it...being the first-ever sentient machine meant that you would have to undergo test and trial to verify and quantify whatever Ability X had.</p><p>"Still...I have to apologize mister X. I am a archaeologist specialized in studying An ancient and highly technologically advanced civilization...and your design...is not unfamiliar to me." Mangalananda revealed as he sat on a chair.</p><p>X stared at the alien.</p><p>[X...don;t get your hopes up, this could be a trap.] Signas warned even before Alia could say the same thing.</p><p>X tried to keep his face neutral at that.</p><p>Even fifty years after his discovery, no one knew how he worked, only that he could be imperfectly replicated...</p><p>no...that was not true, X was not replicable...at all.</p><p>No, instead, doctor Cain had found a program and the blueprints for a machine that would...short of sounding extremly unscientific, suck in ghost and but them into something called a heart-drive.</p><p>Most people would call it a reploid core. And around this, the reploid was build.</p><p>But...since saying that the machine would use the spirits of the dead, something that was illogical and rather unethical, the cover story was that X's amazing and uncopiable build had been decoded and a new race was born...</p><p>At First, Cain had kept the source of all reploid's core a secret, and would only use the amazing machine to make specialized frame, his little project like Alpha, Sigma and Epsilion...</p><p>And then...as much as X loathed to admit it, greed had overcome the doctor's good sense, and he had patented and sold the Reploid core maker. And soon enough, reploids became a household name...for better...but especially for ill.</p><p>Nevertheless, No one had managed to crack how X was working, only that he came with an instruction manual and plenty of blueprints for things he would need, like his charging station, energene and E crystals...oh, and most of those instructions were translated by doctor light, and with some mistakes also.</p><p>Some had even theorized that X was not man-made, but was constructed by this hyper-advanced civilization. Not Doctor light...</p><p>Or that doctor light was an alien.</p><p>[Holy scrap, Dude! That's Kirby!] Axl radioed in. [Oh hell, he's even cutter in person! Just look at how pink and round he is!] He gushed. [And there's Gooey, Dedede and Meta Knight.] Layer added with clear bliss. [They are real! Oh God, we need to get him water mellons...and food, like...oh, I don;t think we have enough for him!] Layer fretted...and then he heard Signas sigh at the other's reaction...and then came Layer's dashing out the room.</p><p>[Right...X, now that...Magolor's curiosity is satisfied, care to ask our...visitors why they are here?] Signas asked, it was clear he had a half-fried CPU about the whole thing.</p><p>[Signas sir, just count yourself lucky it's not Sigma again.] X sent.</p><p>[For all we know.] Alia darkly muttered.</p><p>"So...Mangalananda Das Adhikari." X addressed the amazing floating head. "what is the reason for you and your friend to come visit earth? What's left of it anyway?" he added sheepishly.</p><p>"Oh actually, we are a group of part-time Hero's and travelling preachers. We go around the universe to spread the Krishna consciousness...and defeat a few baddies here and there." Mangalananda explained as he sat in a chair. "You may call me Mangala...Mister X."</p><p>"Just X will do." X returned as he sat in his own seat. His own natural curiosity ignited.</p><p>"You got it, just X."</p><p>X smirked, he was supposed to remain on guard, but with how kind and genial personality he was.</p><p>In the back of his mind though, he could not help but wonder if this was all true...it could be a trap.</p><p>"X...son?" The penguin-like entity addressed the reploid. " Mangala here's trustworthy...and we really are just a bunch a preachers travelling the universe for the good of all." He raised a hand, staving off the protest that was on X's lips. "We ain't like those missionary who tump their bible's and slap them poor souls as eternally damned if they don't accept Jesus, we only give the books...the rest is up to them."</p><p>"Oh...so, can you tell me what is this all about?"</p><p>[X.] Came in Signas warning tone.</p><p>[Sir...communism started with a simple book, an idea, knowledge.] X argued back. [ I have a feeling those visitors won't leave earth so easily, so we need to know what they propagate lest we more uprising.] X hid a shudder...</p><p>They had enough of the mavericks uprising...they didn't need another one.</p><p>But before Signas could give X a confirmation, Mangalananda raised a hand and made a golden hardcover appear. "We could definitely tell you what we wish to give to the world...but I do believe reading the ancient words of our Divine acharya would be better." he gave to wonderfully crafted piece of literature to X, who took it as if it was Gold.</p><p>No...the cure to the maverick virus!</p><p>He looked at the title of the alien book and froze...</p><p>It was written in English...</p><p>"Yes, the book is from here." The blue knight, Madhan-Mohan suddenly spoke up. " This planet you are on is most precious to Bhagavan Sri Krishna...and it is were he chose to manifest the revealed scriptures. This is a copy of my own well-read Gita. Consider it a peace offering," he bowed his head...and considering the state he had left Zero in, this being a peace offering was the right way to say it.</p><p>"We would stop on earth to gather enough books for a decade." Dharadhara das spoke up. "Our last shipment lasted us longer then anticipated but." He scratched the back of his head, his smile falling. "But it seemed someone screw up majorly and angered Bhuma-Sri." The blue penguin huffed.</p><p>"I'm...sorry." X's entire mood soured. "I...Did my best." He felt a...tentacle on his shoulder.</p><p>It was Kamala. "It's alright Ekesu...well help you out. You'll see, soon enough the whole place will be the greened of green!" the pink ball promised with a conviction X never tough could exist anymore in this day and age.</p><p>The cynical side of the blue reploid tried to remind him that it must be a lie, but in his heart-drive...he just knew things would get better.</p><hr/><p>"Excuse me...but who let you out of the containment and interrogation room?" Douglas pointedly asked Madhan-Mohan.</p><p>"I did..." the blue warrior stated plainly. "I wanted to check up on my friend."</p><p>"your...friend?" The medical engineer repeated slowly, his eyes filled with suspicion.</p><p>"Sir Zero."</p><p>"Excuse me...but I wouldn't call you a friend." Zero rasped from his medical cot. Both of his arms were yet to be reattached, and his face and front were covered with plenty of cut's and scratches, being driven face-first in the rocky ground of the canyon.</p><p>Madhan noted with pride how most of his injuries were taken on the front of his body. Zero had been on the losing end of the fight, and yet never tried to run away, or used a dirty tactic. "I call a friend those I found worthy of my respect."</p><p>Zero scoffed. " Oh yeah. And lopping my arms off's a perfect way to have you respect me." He snapped. " C'mon...you just want to gloat over it." Zero huffed quietly, turning his head away from the blue warrior.</p><p>Also...Ghandi had been right about Zero being a man.</p><p>"No...I just want to make sure I didn't...cause you more harm then intended." Madhan-Mohan spoke gently as he hoped in the side of the medical pod.</p><p>"Wait...your the one who destroyed-"</p><p>"I did not destroy Sir Zero, I merely wanted to test his mettle in a fight. I could have ended it faster if so desired." He stated, gazing at the supine form of the Red Warrior.</p><p>"Can you please stop staring at me?" Zero requested quietly.</p><p>"Hmm..."</p><p>"Why are you still looking at me?" Zero snapped.</p><p>"I am merely curious to know how a soul could have ended up in a body of Metal," Madhan-Mohan asked, taking stock of the warrior now that he was immobile. "But...i do believe my friend Mangal could elucidate this mystery"</p><p>His face was rather handsome if a bit...artificial-looking. His hands were big for the rest of his body, same as his feet and he had quite a few vent's and green gems adorning his body.</p><p>His eyes lingered on those that adorned his chest...</p><p>"Say, Sir Zero... these green gems embedded in your chest." He heard the warrior stifled a groan. He had probably been teased about them quite often. "Those are extra batteries for your arms, are they not?" Madhan asked.</p><p>Zero's head snapped in the direction of the diminutive powerhouse. "How do you know?" he asked, his eyes widening with surprise.</p><p>Madhan-Mohan chuckled. "Oh my friend, you have the same Gems on your ankles, the broadest part of your legs. And while I did dismembered you, your power and strength was not lost on me." He assured the supine reploid. "and I will admit, I was caught by surprise with you hair, the jolt they gave would have killed anything lesser, I assure you."</p><p>He could still feel the tingle in his arms and feet, and he needed to demagnetize his mask.</p><p>Zero stared at him.</p><p>"My dear Sir Zero, I am not infallible, but Rare are those who can best me in a fight without the use of cheating," Madhan-Mohan spoke meaningfully. "And you...along with your friend X, are two whom I know could defeat me, if given the proper incentive." Behind his mask, A smile drew itself on his lips...a wider smile.</p><p>Ever since Kirby had given them the seed of Bhakti, this smile had falter even less then his skills.</p><p>And then...the Aeon old knight noticed something...quite strange about Zero. More specifically his blood...or whatever was the substance that had splashed around when Madhan-Mohan had lopped Zero's arms off.</p><p>it seemed the laws of gravity didn't apply to the liquid, for it was floating upward from Zero's empty sockets and numerous wounds.</p><p>The Red Androids...if he was even that, merely looked at the substance with deep annoyance. "Aw come on. Hey, Doug. Your patch failed, I'm leaking again." he yelled at the green mechanic.</p><p>"Aw scrap." Douglas groaned. "Zee... did you move. C'mon, i know you did."</p><p>"No, I didn;t your repair's just not up to standard." Zero shot back.</p><p>Douglas ruched to his side and clicked his tongue. "Urg...I hope you won't infect me Zero, we can't afford to have a maverick-medic," he grumbled as he grabbed his tool and imputed a code. " Meta Knight!" He addressed the small blue warrior.</p><p>"Madhan-Mohan." he corrected.</p><p>"Please leave this place...it may get a bit dangerous." The medic in green hurriedly stated as he closed the lid on Zero's recovery pod, a pair of thick, industrial gloves, the one used to deal with heavily radioactive material fused on the side of the incubator-like capsule.</p><p>Madhan-Mohan's smile faded...he could feel...something quite dark about his prospective friend. He only hoped he was wrong.</p><p>As he walked out of the infirmary, he could hear some codes being spoken...the whole floor had to be evacuated by all synth life form...and all of those who had been in contact with the red sun had to go to decont. And quarantine.</p><p>At that he frowned... something was going on. And he hoped he had nothing to do with a certain End.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>...Oh yeah, let's do this guys!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter two.</p><p>Yes, I know it's hot trash... But I can't stop writing it.</p><hr/><p>A few hours later.</p><p>"X...are you sure it's a good idea?" Zero asked, his arms reattached. He was eyeing the Lor Starcutter with apprehension, which...was not how Zero would usually act.</p><p>No...Zero would usually be the first one in...and the last one out.</p><p>But, X trusted Mangalananda, and if Axl's data on Kirby, Meta-Knight, Dedede and Gooey were true, they had some mighty and Heroic being's in their mid. And some amazing potential allies.</p><p>No idea who was Magolor tough or the Lor Starcutter. But he had promised that he and Layer would try to find the ROM somewhere and investigate.</p><p>Or...play the game trough and trough, once they found it, that is.</p><p>But this type of information was not the reason why X and Zero were presently in front of the Lor.</p><p>The words of Mangalananda, about how X reminded him of some artifacts from an ancient civilization...had Kept X awake all night long.</p><p>It was too good to be true, and yet...</p><p>Could he dare...could he dare to hope? Could he dare to know of his origins?</p><p>"X?"</p><p>"Yes...we have nothing to fear of them." he told his all-time companion. "and the book Mangalananda gave me...it answered all the questions I had Yesterday," X spoke, still trying to grasp just how fortunate he was...</p><p>The book was called the Bhagavad-Gita; it was a conversation between God, an eternal young man named Krishna. And his best friend, a warrior by the name of Arjuna...</p><p>And Arjuna had been in a situation X could very easily empathize with...</p><p>"<em>Oh, Keshava, I will not fight!" </em>The Legendary archer had declared to his best friend and chariot driver, Krishna, Godhead's Supreme Personality. The fight he had been about to engage in was a fratricidal war...</p><p>Now... who was the father of <em>all</em> reploids again?</p><p>Once again, X could see himself on the battlefield with his friend beside him... and He had to admit, Krishna had Echoed many arguments Zero had used to get him out of his retirement.</p><p>Or... Zero had been the one to echo God...and X still had no idea if he should thank him for it.</p><p>Nevertheless, Krishna had then explained to Arjuna how, as a Kshatria, his Nature was to fight...not to go in the forest as a mendicant. And that whatever he Arjuna would do, including participating in a fratricidal war, as long as it was under God's command, then no sin's would be inured.</p><p>He was a servant a God, and God, Krishna would protect his dear Devotees. He would also provide them with Whatever they lacked and preserve all that they had. And that those who shared this knowledge with the world at large was most dear to him and that, Yes, He was God... and he had already killed all the warriors on the field, but her desire his best friend to receive the fame.</p><p>X had used his impressive specs to visualize the Universal form Krishna had shown Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra...and he had agreed with the great archer.</p><p>He preferred sweet-sixteen Krishna with two hands holding the flute, two legs and one head, a peacock feather in his dainty crown...(or was it a tiara?) a yellow dhoty, dark glue skin then to hos form as the all-destroying Time.</p><p>Yes...The Virat-Rupa was time; God was time. And X could easily accept this fact.</p><p>Time was ineluctable, and nothing could control it. And Time would destroy everything... even X.</p><p>Still, if he were to believe the ancient Vedic text, the spirit souls, the living entity that made all bodies move and interact, the real person would never die and were unaffected by everything material nature could throw at them.</p><p>Still...X had some questions. And he hopes those interstellar Vaishnavas could help him clear them up... on top of everything else. Eventually, they saw a shadow move from the bridge of the ship...it was a deep blue 'Kirby' with pale yellow eyes and a pair of white gloves and purple feet. The 'U' Shaped mark glowing golden on his browns. He was Looking at the couple from the top of the ship.</p><p>His golden eyes stopped and hovered over Zero, and his smile widened. "Oh, Sir Zero!" He jumped down the ship and landing with...a bit of a cartoony sound. "I see your mechanic has fixed you up quite nicely."</p><p>"Yeah...Doug's the best after all." a small smile painted the reploid in red's lips. Despite the tension that pervaded his frame.</p><p>"Indeed... And how about you, X Prabhu. I do hope our introduction did not cause too much strife among your peers? Mangal tends to get rather excited about anything even remotely in contact with the ancient." Madan-Mohan...Meta Knight folded his palms and bowed.</p><p>X waved it away. "It's fine, Meta Knight. I'm used to it."</p><p>"Please, Call me Madan-Mohan das...or Just Madhan." He reached his hand out, and X shook it—noting how the extra-terrestrial being had no bones to speak of.</p><p>"A pleasure..."</p><p>He went to Zero and did the same thing, but the proud reploid just looked at the diminutive powerhouse.</p><p>"Sir Zero..."</p><p>The red reploid 'tasked' and folded his arms. "X is only here because he has some questions, and I'm here to make sure nothing happened to him." Zero declared, not bothering to hide his misgiving.</p><p>X pursed his lips, he knew Zero was very protective of him, but the blue bomber was no longer a rookie. And he doubted those interstellar Vaishnava's would do him harms, especially after what he had read in the Bhagavad-Gita. "Madhan-Mohan... I'm wondering if...I have some questions concerning the Gita and...some things Mangalananda told me yesterday."</p><p>Madan's eyes sparkled as they opened wider in surprise. "Oh, so you did read it?" He asked with a very shareable enthusiasm.</p><p>X smiled back. "Yes, I did!" He chuckled. "You know, I was actually wondering about my position in the universe... and if God existed." He showed his copy. "God answered." he grinned, and Madan burst into bright laughter.</p><p>Unseen by him, Zero's jaw clenched.</p><p>Madan-Mohan clapped his gloves. "Yes, this does sound like Krishna, alright. Now come, let's go inside and sit. Ah, I hope you won't mind Mago, he may...geek about you, Sir X."</p><p>"It's alright...I actually wanted to speak to him also." X admitted.</p><p>"Hmm...well, you must have the patience of a saint." Madan paused as he turned around and approached the baby blue ship. "No wonder you were attracted to the Gita."</p><p>"Oh, Hush...I'm no saint." X flatly replied. He had enough with those sentimental worshippers.</p><p>As an answer, The dark blue Madana-Mohana chuckled knowingly.</p><p>The interior of the Lor Starcutter was surprisingly roomy for the two looming reploids. It was constructed out of a white, metal-like compound. The humming of the machinery and the ancient Bengali and Sanskrit song sung by an old gentleman resounded in the corridors.</p><p>
  <em>Gauranga Karuna-koro...</em>
</p><p>Meta Knight patted around the interior as if the place was his home...and considering that he was a traveller, it might as well be. One this he had asked his guest to do before boarding the ship was to clean their feet.</p><p>It brought X's memories to some books about the different human cultures, Indian culture to be precise.</p><p>The diminutive warrior led the couple in the inner part of the Lor Starcutter. And the deeper he went..., the more X felt at home. It was as if the ship was welcoming him. He absentmindedly ran a hand on the wall... and he felt... was it a hum? A song? Family?</p><p>Really, this ship, the Starcutter, reminded him of his own construction... the same energy flowed through him...</p><p>'<em>Calm down X...until you have the confirmation, it's just a theory.'</em></p><p>"X...what's going on?" Zero asked, his partner was clearly on edge about the whole ordeal. "This ship...it's scanning us."</p><p>"Oh, Lori's just curious about you two," Madan-Mohan mentioned. "Especially you X, for you and her seemed to have been made by the same creator."</p><p>"Doctor light would never have made something so cutesy," Zero interjected. Leering at one camera...before showing his fangs.</p><p>[That's not what you said last night.] X sent his partner, trying to lighten up the situation.</p><p>[X...Your you, and your...not...your not a ship, and you don't look like a toy.] Zero argued.</p><p>[Zee...you called me a dreamboat.]</p><p>[But your not a...I was just asking you what a dreamboat meant!]</p><p>[And then you told me I fit the bill! And I look like a toy action figure with my armour on. Don't deny it.]</p><p>Finally, Zero gave in and huffed. To Madan-Mohan's great confusion. Still the diminutive blue warrior simply dismissed it as Zero being on edge.</p><p>He gave the red reploid an adorable smile, his golden yellow eyes shining with benevolence.</p><p>" I was not talking about Doctor light, sir Zero. Now come, I'm sure you two are hungry for a bit of breakfast." Madan said as he leads his two guests to the lift.</p><p>"I've already refuelled, but I'm sure Zero wouldn't mind some exotic extra."</p><p>"I do." The grump of the group denied, leering at the lift.</p><p>When it opened, Kirby...Kamala-Kanta greeted them. "Oh, Hare Krishna X, Hare Krishna Zero!"</p><p>"Hare Krishna Kamala...how was your sleep," X asked.</p><p>"Peaceful!" the adorable alien powerhouse bounced up and down with childlike enthusiasm. "I had a dream about Krishna and his cows. How about you two?" He asked as he let the two reploid enter the lift.</p><p>"Ah...I don't remember." X half-lied. He knew he had yet another nightmare...but had erased whatever memories he had of it...as always.</p><p>"It's none of your business." Zero all but growled, his limbs shaking at the sight of the adorable pink puffball.</p><p>[Zee! What's gone into you?] X demanded to know as he appeared as happy and calm as he could be externally. [Kirby's not an enemy!]</p><p>[...]</p><p>[Zero, please...just relax. You're making me anxious.]</p><p>[Good...Never trust something that looks this inoffensive.] Zero warned.</p><p>[Like Iris?] X shot back, letting a bit of triumph swell his chest as he saw his Partner Flinch. [You have a pointy tough...But I don't think Kamala's evil...just very powerful for his size.] X replied as he returned his attention to Kirby...or Kamala-Kantha. The pink puffball was looking at Zero and X with deep concern.</p><p>[Yes...Like her...never trust anything cure and Adorable X...Don't make my mistakes.] The sombre and haunted tone, his partner, used was enough to make X regret his ribbing.</p><p>[I will...] X promised.</p><p>"Umm...guys?" Kirby tried to grab their attention. " I know it's a bit weird for me to say, but...maybe you should sleep here with us, Dharadhara and I can chase away Nightmares and...and no ghost will attack you here. I promise," the diminutive being shyly proposed.</p><p>"Who said we're suffering from nightmares?" Zero challenged. "And no...we will not remain in this ship longer than necessary, is that clear?"</p><p>Kirby's smile fell complete...the whole sight broke X's, soft heart. "Oh...Then, would you like to share some Prasada with us?" He asked again. "It's sanctified vegetarian food. It's delicious, I assure you."</p><p>[See Zero, They are vegetarian and God Loving.]</p><p>[A certain Mengeles was also God Loving and Vegetarian.]</p><p>X didn't even bother replying.</p><p>After five seconds, the lift's door reopened, letting Kirby, Meta Knight and the two reploid out to what could be considered a very homey house room repleted with windows showing a beautiful valley where the spring breeze would play with the green grass.</p><p>The room itself was something X had only seen in old historical documents. It was made from gentle sun-coloured plaster; there was a small fireplace made of stone. The floor was made out of wooden pieces, and a blue carpet with a star on it sat in the middle of the room.</p><p>An annex of the circular room was a kitchenette where Dharadhara Das was busying himself with cooking on a wood stove.</p><p>There were quite a few bookshelves filled with books on Bhakti-Yoga...including the Bhagavad-Gita.</p><p>On the floor were cushions and small tabled. And on the other side of the round room was an altar with a pair of brass twins dancing with hands upraised and compassionate eyes. There were also a few pictures. X remembered seeing in the Gita; those were the previous teachers.</p><p>Overall...the room was not from this world, and it gave off this very welcoming atmosphere...even if the roof was a bit close to Zero's helmet.</p><p>"What it this place." He asked Kirby, who had pulled out his bed mattress from his frame and dropped him to where he wanted his guest to sit. "Oh...That's my home, on Popstar." He explained. " Well...It's a replica. Popstar's too far away from here and in another dimension...it's still in this universe tough."</p><p>"Oh...I see." X murmured a bit dejectedly as he sat on the mattress. "I would've love to take a walk outside...you know, were their green grass and flowers?"</p><p>"Oh, we can still go out." Kamala-Kantha joyfully informed his esteem guest. "Mangalananda's a powerful mage, and he's the one who made this illusion. It still smells like grass, and there are some bugs and butterflies going around. Just don't mess with the orange one, though."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Ye!" Kamala bounced a bit, jiggling with clear enthusiasm. "after breakfast, we can go out and take and nice long walk outside. How does it sound."</p><p>X could not withhold his joy...</p><p>"No...X is just here to ask some questions. Nothing more." Zero snapped. "We can't afford to take it easy, not with the maverick treat still looming."</p><p>"Maverick treat? An' what would that be?" Dharadhara das drawled as he exited the kitchenette, carrying a tray covered with a cloth. "If those are baddies, we'll gladly help You'll out."</p><p>"Indeed, it would be most dishonourable to leave Bhudevi in such a state...and those who dwell upon her surface in deep distress," Madan-Mohan spoke from the lift, carrying on his head another small mattress. Putting it on the floor beside Kamala's own. "Now, Prabhu X, Sir Zero. Please sit down; a guess should not be left standing.</p><p>"No...We're f-" Zero's words died in his voice-box as X sat down a bit clumsily.</p><p>"Oh, ah...Mister Kamala, I hope you won't mind my friend; he's been a bit grumpy since this morning." X apologized as he gestured at Zero to please sit down. Not even bothering to hide his irritation.</p><p>[X! you told me you would be careful!]</p><p>[Yeah, and weren't you the one who once told me to jump before thinking?] X shot back.</p><p>[...X, your too trusting.] Zero quietly closed the argument.</p><p>X would not deny it, which was why Signas was the commander and X still a B-rank.</p><p>One could not try and see the best in people at the time of war... and to be honest, the only one X really trusted was Zero. For despite this one time, the red reploid was still by X's side. And nothing short of death would remove it from this position.</p><p>[Zee...Please, sit down.] He gently beseeches. Knowing that irritation never led him anywhere.</p><p>And Zero...reluctantly did...somehow managing to land on the mattress with a little more grace and poise than X. And yet, he was still not looking at his partner. It was clear he was upset at X.</p><p>[Zero...I'm sorry, alright. I'm just...] X trailed off, unsure how he could convey to his partner how excited he was to know of his origins...and of God and everything else those visitors could give.</p><p>Yes...He knew he was reckless...and yet, at the same time, Kirby was trustworthy; of this, X had no doubt.</p><p>He turned to the pink puffball. Who was looking at the two with kind and guileless eyes...</p><p>X felt his paranoia rise...what if Zero was right? What if those ridiculously adorable aliens really were a ploy to lower his guards down? A ploy by sigma, no less.</p><p>"No...we are not sent by Sigma...whoever he is," Madan spoke as he gave X and Zero a glass of water. "We have been sent by our Guru, Bhagavad-Gita Swami, to spread the Hare Krishna Movement all over the universe. And yes, we are all well aware of how incredible our reasons to be here are." the blue knight spoke wryly. "And if I were in the same situation, I would be as paranoid as your blond friend."</p><p>"At least you're admitting it." said blond friend grumbled... then his eyes flew open, same as X. "Hey, how did you...YOU READ OUR MIND!" The red ripper almost got up with a sword in hands.</p><p>Madan-Mohan had the decency to blush. "Yes...it's... an ability I picked up quite a few decades ago. Now please sit; breakfast will be here soon."</p><p>X reached for his Partner and sat him down. "So, You read our mind." X adressed the blue mind reader. "that't why you managed to defeat Zero so soundly."</p><p>"Yes...And I can see myself in your situation." Madan bowed his head. "I apologized, but I did take a small peek at your memories." His smile turned bitter. "You and I... Both carry the scars of many wars."</p><p>"Oh? Because You went through wars too?" Zero scoffed. "Let me guess... against an army of processed teddy bears and spring-loaded pink jelly-fish."</p><p>Madan-gave Zero a wry smile."Oh... those were on the good days. The was I fought were against Demon-beasts of great power, it was a bloody war that but a hand full survived...one that spanned over a full millennium and quite a few planets." he revealed. "it is a war you have never heard about, and a war you have been spared. In this war, many of my friends fell, many life and planets were lost and destroyed... and the cause was the greed of a single man...a single demon by the name of Nightmare."</p><p>"He almost destroyed Popstar with his greed." Dharadhara Das interjected, having made the offering. " I managed to seal the demon in the Fountain of Dream while I gathered strength...I ended up giving my subject terrible...well, nightmares and fod shortage. And I also got Kamal's attention." He chuckled as he began transferring the food from the lord's plate to the pots and pans. "Kamala's <span>the</span> most powerful entity in our corner of the material world."</p><p>"No...not really." The pink puffball denied.</p><p>"He raided my castle, destroyed and defeated some of my most powerful lieutenant, including Meta knight. Defeated me and freed Nightmare..." he turned to the two reploids. "Protip Guys, always explain your plan to yer rival; it may save you some trouble."</p><p>"Yeah...but you did try to explain to me." Kamala argued back.</p><p>"After Ah tried to kill you." Dharadhara bitterly admited.</p><p>"You thought I was just another Dreamlander...and you didn't want to kill me, you just wanted to scare me away from Nightmare." Kamala Shot back. "You were just doing your job."</p><p>"Yeah...but yer still the one who destroyed that dream-demon. Don't think he ever came back after that whoopin' you gave him." Dharadhara chuckled as he remembered the events.</p><p>"Basically, Kamala here killed one biggest treat in our part of the universe, the one I failed to stop and the corrupter of my friend...only because he was grumpy due to lack of sleep and hunger," Madan-Mohan explained as he placed a little table in front of Zero. " That's...basically the cause of death of most villains and otherworldly abominations that dares to attack Popstar. Sir X, you will eat with us, right?" He changed the subject. moving away from a life time worth of adventure and onto the most importent subject at hand.</p><p>"No, my hardware, as amazingly advanced as it is, can't break down sugars and proteins. But Zero's can." He informed the diminutive blue warrior.</p><p>"Ah...Understood." Madan nodded.</p><p>in the meantime, Dharadhara Das placed a big plate of food in front of Zero. "There you go, blondy. A nice hearty breakfast. C'mon, don't be shy. Prasadam's a rare commodity, you know, and ya got a whole plate of it."</p><p>"Ah...thanks?" Zero eyes the plate of Prasadam. "What's...prashama?"</p><p>"Sanctified food," Dharadhara explained with a warm smile. "Basically, it's our version of the sacred bread...but including all the other part of the meal!"</p><p>Zero stared at the very organic food that was placed in front of him. [Great...alien food. X, didn't Douglas gave us a seminar about how we should not eat the food given to us by aliens? About how...it could mess with our systems?]</p><p>[Zero...I don't think this food's so exotic.] The blue reploid pointed out. [I think...yes, I think it's Indian...you know, this ancient civilization?]</p><p>[OK...But where's the meat? And...alright, I'll admit that it smells pretty good, but...what the hell is this? I can't make out what it's made out of...and it...kind of look pre-di-]</p><p>"Kitchari..." Madan-Mohan piped up, his mouth in a tiny, very forced a smile, He had clearly been struggling with his tongue about the nature of the meal. "It's rice, yellow mung dhal, water, Turmeric, sweet potato, spinach, ginger, salt, cooked down clarified butter, cumin seed, mustard seed and asafoetida. The flatbread is made with whole wheat, water, salt and ghee." He pointed at the food, his dark-blue complexion decorated by two spots of pink.</p><p>"The 'coffee' is made with Ahimsa milk and roasted coriander seeds. Ahimsa simply means that the cow who gave us this milk will not be killed for meat, and she is treated like a mother. The brown preparation made with semolina is called Halava, it contains, as previously mentioned, semolina, water, ghee, raw sugar, saffron, almonds and raisins. And the green leaf you see in those preparations is called sacred basil, it's part of the Basilicum family of plant and it's completely inoffensive."</p><p>The room grew silent with the off-duty knight, who sat back.</p><p>"Ah...thank..." Zero finally spoke, a small smile on his lips. "I guess...you want me to eat now?"</p><p>"Please...otherwise, we have failed in our duties as a host," Kamala spoke with folded palms.</p><p>Zero closed his eyes. [X...if anything weird's gonna happen...]</p><p>[I'm bailing you out.] X assured his partner. [Just eat, everything is from earth...and Madan-Mohan looked about to burst.] The blue bomber conveyed with a smile as Zero began to eat, unbothered by the lack of utensils.</p><p>"So...I..." X paused, but Madan remained poised and quiet. His eyes kind and prompting. "I notice that all this food is quite...earthly." he began as he scaned the vittles. And sure enough, Madan-Mohan had not lied.</p><p>"What's wrong with that? Foodgrains are food grains no matter where one goes, same for the flowers and the living entities." Kamala explained. " And we eat what God likes...and God, Krishna like rice, dhal, chapattis and all the wholesome earth-based, vegetarian food."</p><p>"Oh!"</p><p>"Oh wow!" Zero exclaimed before resuming his meal. [X, we <em>have</em> to connect. This food's <span>amazing</span>, I've never eaten anything like this before...Damn, that's <em>soo</em> good!]</p><p>At the jubilant reaction of his partner X and their host began to laugh. It was good to see his Zero Happy and less on edge. And relishing a meal that was something other than stale and half-rotten ration.</p><p>While X could charge with the sun, Zero's energy intake was...unorthodox.</p><p>He could definitely recharge in the sun and function like every other reploid. But his partner could also...eat.</p><p>He could eat food...and break it down in pure energy and parts.</p><p>And Zero had this amazing ability to recover from dismemberment. Not even Cain or DOuglas managed to pierced the mystery of Zero, his body even more mysterious and confusing than even X. A life-Save had even made a theory that Zero wasn't even a reploid but an alien.</p><p>Whatever Zero was, X didn't particularly care, he just knew he loved him and would do everything to make him happy.</p><p>"So...you had questions?" Kamala asked... "More I mean."</p><p>"yes, So I read the Bhagavad-Gita and..." X began. But paused mid-way.</p><p>"And?" Kamala-Kanta prodded.</p><p>X averted his eyes from the small and adorable alien. "...Does it apply to artificial souls? You know...about how the soul is eternal and...and a part of God?"</p><p>[Really? That's what that damn books about?]</p><p>[Zero...please.] X rebuked his grumpy lover...now more than a little tired of his edge.</p><p>"No...It's doesn't apply to synthetic souls-" Kamala spoke with a very dissonant smile...soothing that made the sharp dagger plunged in X's core twist and burn... not that he'd expected anything different to be honest.</p><p>"Oh..."</p><p>Feeling the sheer dejection from his life partner, Zero paused his eating and put his left hand on X's knee. [See...Ah... I knew he would say something like that.]</p><p>[Yep...I'm disapointed, but not really surprised...thank you for not flying into a rage.]</p><p>[X...you know I'm better than that.]</p><p>"-Because there's no such thing as Synthetic souls," Kamala spoke up, his smile growing wider. Surprising...and confusing the dichromatic duo.</p><p>Both reploid stared at the self-satisfied smile of Kamala-Kanta. Waiting for the interstellar Vaishnava to elaborate.</p><p>And he did not disappoint.</p><p>"A soul is a soul, and the soul is the source of consciousness." He explained as Dharadhara served Madan-Mohan a huge plate of Prasadam. "The soul has no birth, no death and cannot be destroyed, cut, wet, atomized and magicked away since it's a part of God, the chief immortal among all immortals."</p><p>"Ah?" X tried to make sense of what he had just heard...and Surprisingly, Zero beat him to the punch.</p><p>"So basically, you're telling us that nobody can make a soul...since a soul is not mundane. And that we can't get destroyed because God is indestructibly."</p><p>"Basically." Kamala nodded. "And the soul is the person inside the body. A soulless body is a dead body: No soul, no life."</p><p>"So..." X's hands were shaking. "We... I'm not a robot with a soul, but a soul inside a robotic body."</p><p>Kamala grinned wider. " yep! Like I'm a soul in a puff ball-shaped body. We may be in different vehicles, but we are not those." Kamala explained, and X grinned even further. "We are all one, but different. I am me, and you are you, and Krishna is Krishna. We may be made of the same eternity, knowledge and bliss, but we can't merge in one another."</p><p>Somehow, this simple statement caused a powerful hope to ignite in X's proverbial heart.</p><p>[X...your crying...you don't-]</p><p>[I do Zero...now eat your meal.] he kindly but firmly told his lover. [Let me have this Zee... please, let me have some hope.]</p><p>After Zero and Kamala had eaten to their heart's content...or until no food was available (saved for a portion Madan-Mohan had saved for Dharadhara das), Kamala and the two reploid took a walk outside in the most perfect illusion of a dream-like valley.</p><p>The spring breeze blew gently on the ever so green hills that peppered the land, X could also spot quite a few vegetables growing here and there, and he wondered if those where used in Zero's meal.</p><p>"Are those real?" X asked as he inspected a star-shaped flower...when was the last time he had seen and held those delicate items?</p><p>"Yes, they are." Kamala Declared as he went to pick the flower and put it in his basket. "It may be an illusion, but it's still factual. In this place, we can grow vegetables, grains and pulse. Oh, and pretty flowers for God too."</p><p>"Ah...I see. So you've dedicated your life in His service." X stated as he kept observing the diminutive powerhouse. "I was wondering if you could help us with-"</p><p>"Of course we will help you with food relief," Kamala promised even before X could finish his phrase. "This place has everything we need to feed everyone. And Mangalananda and I will cook for everyone nice and wholesome Karma-free food! so...how many thousands of people we have to feed?"</p><p>X stared at Kamala-Kantha, his mouth falling open despite his control.</p><p>"What?" Kamala asked. "Hare Krishna's aren't takers, were givers!"</p><p>"I...I know...Now I know...You just...I was just about to ask if you could...the earth if barren and..."</p><p>"X...calm down." Zero place a hand on X's shoulder as he wearily eyed Kamala. "what has gotten into you?"</p><p>"Mister X... Sir Zero, there's a bench nearby, I think he needs to sit down and process everything in peace." Kamala carefully addressed the red ripper, although Zero clearly didn't trust him.</p><p>But with how X was shaking, Zero elected to follow the pink marshmallow and help X sit down on the aforementioned bench.</p><p>It was in a very bucolic location, overlooking a pond filled with dragonflies and cattail. A few lotuses swung in the sweet breeze laden with the smell of more flowers than X tough existed.</p><p>After some time, the reploid managed to calm himself down, Zero was still holding him near, his handheld in his own and letting the blue bomber lean on him.</p><p>Kamala had momentarily left to get X another glass of water. And Zero had taken this opportunity to embrace his very dear partner, going as far as to kiss his gem as he tried to help him calm down.</p><p>And when Kamala came back, X was not as emotionally vulnerable anymore. And thus Zero had released him, keeping up the facade that they really were just a pair of very close friends.</p><p>"Is everything alright?" The pink puffball asked, his concern clear in his high-pitched voice.</p><p>X laughed...something he had not done for what seemed to be eons. "yes...yes Kirby...Kamala...Everything...everything is amazing!" He let his smile bloom unbounded on his face.</p><p>Beside him, his partner dubiously stared at the wetly grinning blue bomber. Not even needing to voice his questions.</p><p>X grinned back as he wiped away his tears, giving Zero's soft hand a reassuring squeeze. Then he turned to Kamala-Kantha.</p><p>"Divine grace-"</p><p>"Just Kamala will do. We're all friends here anyway." The pink puffball assured X, squeezing his knee joint with his little tentacles.</p><p>Besides X, Zero growled.</p><p>[Zero...play nice.]</p><p>[I don't like him touching you.]</p><p>[It's just a friendly gesture, Axl and Alia do the same thing to me and you <em>never</em> react like that.]</p><p>[Axl and Alia are not Aliens...and I don't trust him.]</p><p>[Why?]</p><p>[I have my reasons.] And with that Zero ended his communication.</p><p>X returned his attention to the pink alien. "Thank you, Kamala, it's nice to know we're not alone in this."</p><p>"Nobodies Alone, and Help is always there for those who believe."</p><p>This statement, spoken by an alien, caused the blue bomber to chuckle. "yes...absolutely." he smiled. "Say...you do save seeds, right?"</p><p>A light entered Kamala's eyes. "We have better than this, we have The Maha-Mantra."</p><p>"I don't get it," X murmured. And then, it clicked. "You can make it rain."</p><p>Kamala nodded. "Ah-ah! Rain will come once Sri-Vishnu's please with our Sacrifice of the holy name. And After that-"</p><p>"After that, I need to know what you and your damn goons did with Layer and Axl?" Zero growled as he got up, leering at Kamala with unrestrained anger.</p><p>[Zero?]</p><p>[Got a message from Signas, both came in the ship...none of them came out.]</p><p>"Ah." Kamala smiled, not at all afraid of the very tall and furious war machine. "They came to visit us this morning, they brought our Gauranga and Nityananda some very interest sweets and Mangalananda wanted to give them something in return."</p><p>At those words, X also got up from the bench.</p><p>Sure, he may not have minded the crazy little alien's ogling and prodding. He was definitely more respectful and mindful of X's feeling and comfort than those scientists of old...even the recent one. But...</p><p>Axl was Axl... and Layer had a past... thing could get rather ugly.</p><p>"He was <em><span>supposed</span></em> to keep them until ten..." Kamala's smile turned wry. "Let's go..."</p><p>He hobbled away, his little red feet squeaking as he ran to God knows where with a pair of reploid right at his heels.</p><hr/><p>Returning to the main hub of the ship was quite a jarring experience. One moment, they had been in a bucolic little house in a sub-tropical valley filled with organic wealths to the cold and sterile hull of a metallic ship.</p><p>Once again the ship seemed to greet X and even pinged him, but in his state of mild panic, the oldest of all reploid didn't give it much thought.</p><p>Still, this detail did not make any of the maverick hunters falter. And soon enough, both were in front of a door adorned with a plaque of Alien language...that X could somehow read...</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>
      <strong>Magolor's Fun trial run! (and the lab...also fun.)</strong>
    </span>
  </em>
</p><p>"Mangalananda?" Kamala spoke in the intercom. "Mangalananda, X and Zero are wondering what happened to Miss layer and Mister Axl... can you please op-" the (rather small) door slid open, and out floated Mangalananda.</p><p>"Oh! If it isn't X and Zero...and Kamala also." He greeted with undeniable joy. "I was wondering when you two would come and visit us. Please, please come in and have a seat. Axl and Layer are still running through their time trial's as we speak." the diminutive alien all but shoved Zero inside, to X's great amusement... and wonder.</p><p>What used to be a door big enough for that extra-terrestrial life-form stretched to accommodate the duo, letting them in without having them crawl.</p><p>Inside the lab was what one would expect from such a place. It was sterile, had plenty of computers and the marks that a reploid...or two had been worked on.</p><p>As if hearing the accusation, Mangalananda turned to his two guests. " Yes. I did some works and inspection on Axl the Awesome and sweet and chaste Layer." He handed X an orb with a gear on it. "This is their diagnosis reports and other upgrades I gave them..."</p><p>X eyed the geared sphere wearily, and his system recognised it.</p><p>His green eyes grew wider... yes, he could already read the reports of numerous bugs and glitched that had been fixed, and a very major change in Layer's armour.</p><p>X could not help but smile at that, this had been something both he, Zero, Signas and all reploids worth their salt wanted for Layer.</p><p>"X?" He heard his partner query. It was amazing the amount of information he could inject into a single variable.</p><p>"It's fine... Layer's finally got a new, proper armour and Axl can now take the form of reploids bigger than him without having to shoot them dead." X assured his lover, the corner of his mouth turning up.</p><p>"Alright... and where are they right now?" Zero asked as he folded his arms.</p><p>" Zero, dude. Please relax, my friend and take a seat. Those two are having a blast destroying the previous speed records set by Madan as we speak." The floating alien practically pushed the looming war machine to a stool at one of the tables.</p><p>"meaning?" Zero asked as Kamala sat close to him and X joined him soon enough.</p><p>"Meaning that I have set for them obstacle course meant for fun a practice," he explained. "They are in a pocket dimension... let me show you since I can see you won't trust any words coming out of my mouth." And with those words, Mangalananda produced a remote from under his cap and aimed it at the screen.</p><p>And sure enough, Axl, Gooey and a properly armoured Layer were zooming trough and obstacle course made out of wooden blocks and filled with cutesy monsters.</p><p>"The spikes won't kill them, and those monsters are not real. And I doubt they want to get out quite yet...trust me, I've tried." the little alien spoke wryly as his ears sadly flopped down.</p><p>"Why didn't you asked Lori to open the screen for you?" Kamala asked. "And why didn't you ask her to stop them</p><p>"Oh, because she's also playing with them. So no... she won't let them out until they ask her." Mangalananda informed his friend. "Are you hungry? I have some gem apples for you, freshly offered, of course."</p><p>"Oh, this sounds lovely; you know I can't say no to Prasadam."</p><p>Mangal chuckled as he manifested a void above Kirby, and out from it fell some apple-shaped E-Crystal. E-crystals that were all promptly gobbled up by the pink, diminutive puffball... apples that were half the size of his head and incompatible with anything organic.</p><p>Kamala...chewed them with a delighted smile. "Oh, that was good, filled with Bhakti and Krishna-Krpa." The...most amazing anomaly uttered as he returned to two feet tall.</p><p>"You taste that only because you have it." Mangalananda cheekily mentioned. "And... by your association...it will all be mine." He rubbed his gloved hand, now looking more like a maverick than a generous host.</p><p>"Mangal! Don't make fun of me... you know I'm struggling, and I-"</p><p>"How did you do that?!" X finally managed to choke out...</p><p>Kamala stared at the blue reploid. "Do what?" he asked innocently.</p><p>"You...you ate E-crystals!"</p><p>"E-Crystals?" The pink puffball repeated. "Oh...so that's how you call gem fruits."</p><p>"Gem Fruits... You mean... those..."</p><p>Kamala's smile fell. "Can easily grow on earth...I'll give you the seeds." He came closer to X's boot and gently petted it. " I... I forgot how we don't really fit with earthlings... I'm so sorry; please don't crash." The diminutive Alien begged.</p><p>X gave an uneasy smile... "I'm... Not quite alright, I just... Are those really apples? Do they grow on trees?"</p><p>Kamala-nodded. "Hai! Yes, they do!</p><p>"I'll give you one so that you may taste it." Mangalanada manifested another of those so-called apples and, after offering it (he had this prayerful look for five seconds.) he gave it to X.</p><p>[X...] Came Zero's warning tone. A tone X paid little heed to, for what he was holding truly was the holy grail.</p><p>It was a gem apple, as the name implied, and yet... it had the same energy reading as a high-grade E-crystal.</p><p>He was holding...yet more hope for reploid kind in the palm of his hands, something that should not exist, that was only fantasy.</p><p>On a hunch, he placed his mouth on it, To Zero's great horror. And before his boyfriend could rip it out of his hand, X managed to take a bite.</p><p>It was so sweet, a bit tart and... and it dissolved into pure energy.</p><p>It was like biting into sunshine.</p><p>"X! X!" [X, for the Love of God, please answer me? Why the hell did you do that? It could make you sick, mess up your internal, kill you!]</p><p>" Zero..." He addressed his overly fretting partner. Hoping that his bright smile would be enough to make him calm down. "It's fine... everything is fine."</p><p>"Please explain... X, you know you can't put whatever you want in your tank." Zero scolded his longtime partner as he clutched the bitten apple</p><p>"That an organically grown E-crystal. Well, that's what my U.I's telling me." He gently informed his lover. Who stared at the impossible fruits dubiously. "C'mon, take a bite!"</p><p>"What's up with me and alien food today..." Zero muttered under his breath as he bit the bright green fruit.</p><p>His eyes grew wide after a few movements of his jaws; he stared at the interstellar fruit.</p><p>"Scrap me pink...it <em>is </em>an energy crystal...and it tastes like an apple too!" The red and gold reploid grinned, now understanding X's jubilation.</p><p>"And yes... it does grow in proper earthly condition too," Mangalananda interjected. His eyes implying a smile. " Rain will come, mother earth will recover, and the golden age will properly start; just be a little bit more patient."</p><p>For his part, X was busy wiping off his tears. "Ah! So that's what an apple tastes like!" he laughed... after so many years of grim and terrible news, this... he felt revived.</p><p>First... There was life on other planets, and those lifeforms were able and willing to help them... and God existed, he was a person, and the goal of life was to love and serve him.</p><p>'<em>Oh wow... oh, wow... God... God...Krishna, That's... your hear my prayers...and you answer me faster than tech-support." </em>He openly grinned...</p><p>Yes...Everything would be fine...as long as Zero stopped fearing Kirby, that is.</p><p>In the corner of his eyes, he could see Zero freezing in sheer terror as said Pink Puffball hugged his boot.</p><p>Oh yes... X would tease him so much for that...so, so much.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We have a prayer... It says; I give my humble obeisances to Vaishnava devotees of the Lord, who are just like Wish-Granting trees.</p><p>My intentions were different, but apparently, Gem apples are now refractor Crystals or E-crystals...<br/>Alright, whatever works, and Yes, Zero has a very good reason not to like Kirby.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Ah... what a day." X sighed as he settled for a moment beside his lover. Removing his helmet and letting the accumulated static dissipate in the air. " Can you believe it Zero?"</p><p>"No," Zero grumbled, still gathering his shredded pride over his embarrassing loss...</p><p>"Alien's are going to give us a hand in fixing this mess... it's like... too good to be true!"</p><p>"Then it's not true."</p><p>"Zee!" X yelped at Zero's grim attitude.</p><p>"X... I..." Zero sighed as he hugged his life partner close. "I know you've wanted those answers, and I know your happy to be a soul and... all that trash, but." his eyes roll was as clear as the red gen embedded in his forehead. "isn't it a bit too convenient?" The Jaded reploid asked. "To me... it's too easy, too good. And if it's too good..."</p><p>"But what if it was true?" X argued back. "What if... what if it was true? What if God really answered my prayers?" X argued back. "Zero... Humans have prayed to gods for... For practically forever, and it's only when they start turning their back to Him that trouble began."</p><p>"X, your exaggerating."</p><p>"No, Zero, I'm not!" The blue bomber lifted himself so he could look into his lover's eyes. " Zero, I've studied human history for years. And one thing I've noticed is how thing were less chaotic when God was at it centre... any God."</p><p>"X"</p><p>"I know it's n;t perfect, and I'm well aware of the slaughter that happened in the name of the bible and Christianity... but I'm talking about the old ones, the ones that were practised more than five thousand years ago in the cradles of humanity. Before the roman empire began to pillage and destroy everything, they would work with nature, and they saw everything as precious and divine...not to be exploited and perverted."</p><p>Like we are, came the unspoken line.</p><p>"Those Aliens, what they practise it's... Bhakti-Yoga's <em>ancient</em>, The Sanskrit language they use in the Gita is the oldest and most complex written form of language and..." X trailed of as Zero kept massaging his head.</p><p>"Zero..." X broke the comfortable silence again. "We've tried so many things to improve our situation; gene editing, nuclear fission, fusion, robotic, A.I... and now we have a desert for a planet and an empty sea so polluted... It's a health hazard just to breathe It's spray." He let out a growl of frustration as tears pooled at the corners of his emerald pools called eyes.</p><p>"X... please be patient." Zero mildly asked as he wiped the tears off his beloved eyes. "I'm sure the smart guys will come up with something soon, just-"</p><p>X shook his head and pushed Zero's distracting hands away. " Ninety years... We've waited for ninety years for this scientific breakthrough..." X spoke tiredly as he maintained eye contact with Zero. "It's just like with the missing human-monkey link Zero...and whatever else science has promised us... it's a hoax... a lie."</p><p>"X..."</p><p>"Zero... I know you know how reploids are made. We're basically ghost in machines... it's not scientific, and it's... It's esoteric, it basically a highly advanced machine we <span>think</span> doctor light built, that sucks in ghost and stuff them in a heart-shaped box... <em>and then there's me!</em>" he sighed as he covered his lover, using his bulky armour as a pillow. "I just want... I just want to try something different, and... have you seen how happy those Hare Krishnas were? How loving, bright and cheery they are?"</p><p>"Yes... I did." Zero agreed with some slight reluctance, gently running his fingers in X's lovely mop of hair. Chasing whatever tension was there with practised ease. "Let me guess... you want to emulate them?" he asked.</p><p>X sighed. "They look so happy and... and it feels <em>just </em><em><span>right</span></em>... But I don't want to practice something you don't like." He admits as he lifted himself up to plant a kiss on his partner's soft and warm lips. "You don't have to worry about losing me anytime soon, Zero." He assured.</p><p>Zero grunted; it was clear he appreciated the attention but, something else was on his mind.</p><p>"Zero?... there's more to it, isn't it?" X asked.</p><p>"I just don't like how they baited you... we know your origin X. Doctor light made you... you are his best creation."</p><p>It was X's turn to grumble. "I know, but... I'm way too advanced for any scientist to decipher. And no technologies have come even close to me in a hundred nine decades. And... he never said he made me, and the only way to have a new reploid is still by using this machine. Otherwise, no A. I can even come close to the lowest grade reploid." He let out a huff. "I... The Lor... I feel like she wants to talk to me, that she knows me."</p><p>"X!"</p><p>"It's true!" X once again rose above Zero, using his elbows. "I can feel her like... it's like I know her almost."</p><p>"X...It's a ship."</p><p>"No... no, she feels like, she feels like a reploid, but a differently shaped one and..." X huffed as he tried to hide a smile; for his part, Zero couldn't help but raise a brow at how his boyfriend had addressed the Lor. "Zero... She has the variable system; I <em><span>know</span></em> she does. That's how she can make the hallways and the doors big enough for us." he turned to his lover, his eyes shining with a determination only reserved from when he would make a discovery. "I know... I know I'm like her. I know I was made by those ancient aliens Zero, it <em>Hurt</em> How much I know."</p><p>"And then what?" Zero Snapped. "What if you are one of those artifacts? Where would that lead you?" He asked, his voice tight.</p><p>X paused and thought for a bit, and then he clenched his fist. "I would know what my real goal is, what I am and... why I exist."</p><p>"I thought the Gita told you that." Zero shot back with a tilt of his head. "Isn't it enough to know that your a soul in a body? That... That your duty and goal of life is to serve and love God?" he sarcastically quoted, his jaws clenched.</p><p>X sighed as he gave his lover the most annoying glare yet. " Zee... I know I'm a soul... or, I theoretically know that... But I want to know of my... of this body's true Origin, and why... Why did Dad lied to me."</p><p>Over the years, X had learned to detect when someone was lying through different cues like stress hormones, tone of voice and auras.</p><p>And...And maybe it will help us? Maybe those ancients have a technology or..."</p><p>"And what if you were build to destroy everything," Zero asked with a very pronounced frown.</p><p>"Zero! Why would you say that?" X asked as he stared at his Wily build lover. "Doctor Light would never do such a thing..."</p><p>"But... he may not have made you." Zero prodded with a triumphant smirk. Catching X off guard.</p><p>The blue bomber could do nothing but scamble for another argument. Only hitting roadblocks after road blokes.</p><p>Zero sighed as he let his hands rest on X's hips. " Listen, X... I would rather we just forget about this whole thing and just..."</p><p>"Keep the Status quo?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>X huffed... and pushed himself away from Zero, getting out of the pod.</p><p>"Hey! Where are you going?" Zero yelped as he tried to catch X's quickly receding hand.</p><p>"Crash on the couch... don't bother getting up." And with that, X left in a huff, entering the sitting room and sitting down on the ugliest yet most comfortable couch in existence.</p><p>Yes... he was mad at Zero. He was frustrated, antsy and... feeling a bit... Sick?</p><p>Yes... he felt what would be the equivalent of sick for him... <em>'I got mad at Zero...and he's just trying to protect me.'</em> He sighed as he pulled out the wall charger from his socket. <em>'Yeah...no wonder I'm feeling sick. Zee deserves better than that...'</em></p><p>He never liked fighting with his boyfriend. It felt wrong on a primal level as if he was crossing a line that he was not meant to cross. Not unless there was a good reason for it.</p><p>And this time... he had no good reason, for he knew Zero was the logical one in this particular situation.</p><p>He closed his eyes after plugging himself from the wall connector; sure, he won't have the benefit of the pod, but... he didn't want to fight with Zero more than necessary. And he didn't want to disturb his lover with... whatever virus was getting dissected by his systems.</p><p>He had his own view... his own opinions...just like X.</p><p>There was nothing wrong with that.</p><p>He took out the Bhagavat-Gita from his storage and began to reread it... who knows, maybe the Lord had a piece of matrimonial wisdom in their also...</p><p>But as he read... The weird feeling he had to worsen.</p><p>X closed his eyes... His head felt heavy. And many warnings came up in his U.I... familiar to him... but in a language, no one knew... not even Cain.</p><p>Maybe he should have listened to Zero...</p><hr/><p>"And this is the report for the Jacob ladder incident." Signas finished his briefing about the whole event. One of the cabins had suffered a heavy malfunction, sending it careening to earth with around twenty new-gen reploid, including the project director.</p><p>Those reploids had sent everyone in a panicked frenzy when they had emerged from the crash site looking like Sigmas. And Layer was sure this had given her dear Zero and X quite the amount of nightmare fuel.</p><p>But overall, none had to be repaired, and all were sent back up to finish the last level of the sub-orbital lift.</p><p>"Now... to our other item of concern. We have our interstellar visitors. Namely Gooey, Meta Knight, Dedede and Magolor."</p><p>"And the Lor Starcutter." Layer added, now standing confidently under her sleek and very tasteful set of armour.</p><p>"And the Lor Starcutter." Signa's added without much of a twitch. "This morning, Layer and Axl, our current expert on this invading alien, have infiltrated the ship to gather as much Intel as possible." He turned toward the screen showing images and pictures of the alien's spaceship.</p><p>"The battle abilities of these ships are currently unknown... only that its inhabitants are <em>extremely</em> powerful and that their vessel can cut through dimensional boundaries," he emphasized. "Do not be fooled by its a toy-like appearance, if this ship can go through dimension... then it can easily make a few anomalies to mess with us." he turned toward the two spies.</p><p>Layer confidently walked forward. He new armour the definition of professional and efficient. Gone was the transparent part; the purple-haired Navigator looks as if she was wearing an armoured tux with battle heels. And a few gears here and there.</p><p>Up on the podium, she addressed the hunters...sans X.</p><p>"From what Axl and I have gathered on the Aliens, we know that they are not aggressive and only desire to help us. Madan... Meta Knight is an ancient and experienced star warrior from the other side of the Galaxy. His speed and fighting prowess are exceptional. He strictly follows the code of chivalry and the teachings of the Bhagavat Gita As it Is. He's a terrible cook tough, but-"</p><p>"Please keep it to what is relevant." Signas intoned...almost bored at that point.</p><p>"Right... So Meta Knight carries with him the Galaxia blade; in the anime, it is claimed that ancient beings made it's of fire...but nobody is sure about it, the only data we have is that it managed to slice through Zero's Titanium-Z armour as if it was butter and cauterized the would as quickly as it happened."</p><p>"More like wielding it shut... And let me tell you, Zero's armour may not be on par with X, but it takes some highly volatile gas to even make the alloy hot enough to glow." Douglas added. "And while if clearly melted the metal, it didn't cause any other damage..."</p><p>"I see." Signas inclined his head. Before gesturing to Layer to resume.</p><p>"Meta Knight is extremely agile and light. His cape can turn into a pair of bat-"</p><p>"Dragon!" Axl interjected. This was one well know debate between the two geeks.</p><p>"Wings... and he can disappear in it to avoid danger and appear a few meters away, usually behind his enemies. It is called 'Dimensional cape'"</p><p>"Great... more dimension shtick," Zero grumbled from the furthest corner of the room. His countenance is dour and stormy.</p><p>Meaning... he was worried. And his ego had yet to heal from the humiliating defeat he had at the hand...or gloves of one Meta Knight. Not only that...</p><p>But X was not by his side.</p><p>This...did not bode well.</p><p>"In the ancient game, Super Smash Bother Brawl, Meta Knight is ranked at the top, being an SS tier... meaning that short of himself, he is unbeatable." Layer blushed as she averted her eyes from Zero. "Like... we have all seen."</p><p>The Red ripper rolled his eyes as he clicked his tongue.</p><p>"Next, we have King Dedede, ruler of dreamland. His strength lies in his powerful arms and skill with his hammer. He can flutter and suck enemies in like Kirby and... He's considered a type of Rival to Kirby in the game...same as Meta Knight, but it seems that this animosity is gone now. He also has an army of cute waddle... of Waddle Dee's at his beck and call and can potentially summon Gordos, spiked balls with eyes, basically."</p><p>There was a collective hiss of pain. Spike... were usually covered in nasty Nanites made to corrode and screw with whatever they could.</p><p>"Next, we have Gooey, the good Dark Mater."</p><p>"Dark matter?" Douglas repeated.</p><p>"Dark matter is a being of unknown origin. In the first two games of the dark Matter Trilogy, it takes the form of a black ball surrounded by smaller oranges. It has a single eyeball, can shoot lighting, those orange ball things and can possess people, turning them maverick." She explained as she moved the slides.</p><p>The whole room's mood darkened... oh how they wished their maverick could be as easy to deal with.</p><p>"Yeah, in the last game, though, they take the appearance of some dark clouds with this red and yellow iris. They can possess people and turn them bad." Axl explained as he leaned back on his chair and rested his boots on the table, boots that a mildly annoyed Alia roughly shoved down. "Basically, that's their maverick Virus."</p><p>"I see..." Signas intoned gravely as a Life-saver began to take note. Now more than a little interest in the subject at hand. " And do we know the origin of such entities."</p><p>"Zero." Axl smugly informed the group, jerking his thumb in Zero's general direction.</p><p>The Red ripper's lips sealed themselves, and his face turned blank—his pupil's shirking to pinpricks.</p><p>Some moment passed, and Axl gestures to layer to show the next slide. It was a white orb with red-eye and some red lines surrounding it. "This Zero."</p><p>"No way..." Layer whispered. "This thing is also a Zero?" She asked the question everyone wanted to ask.</p><p>Axl laughed. "Yep, that's its name, and he's the last boss of Kirby Dreamland three... spoiler alert."</p><p>Layer groaned.</p><p>"But yeah, this evil dude just... one day decided he hated the happy and friendly atmosphere of pop-star, so he sends his scout, the black eyeball things, to corrupt and cover Kirby's home planet with evil energy. Kirby gets up from his nap and, accompanied by his animal friend, beat the crap out from the dark-matter... who had processed King Dedede. That was Kirby dreamland two, Kirby dreamland three; Dark Matter covers the happy little pop star in a literal dark cloud tentacle thing and turns many of its residents mad. And once again, it's Kirby and Gooey's duty to get rid of the abomination."</p><p>"And they do, as always." Layer interjected.</p><p>"yep, and after gathering all the MacGuffin, gratitude stars... heart... whatever, They beat the literal tar out of Dedede-"</p><p>"Again"</p><p>"and they face the same Dark Matter scout... but this time, their boss and generator, Zero, appears and start shooting our cute little duo down with his own blood."</p><p>"Wait... His...blood?" Signas asked, quite shocked at the demon's mode of attack. "You... can't be serious!"</p><p>Layer showed the next slide on a hunch... this one containing the GIF of Kirby's Zero shooting down the crayon rendered hero with what was unmistakably his own blood.</p><p>Then she went to the other slid...</p><p>"KYAH! I can't look! Layer, please change it!" Palette cried as she hid her eyes behind her hands.</p><p>"Oh, my God..." Alia whispered in pure horror. "And that's for kids?!"</p><p>For his part, Zero...the reploid, Averted his eyes as he hid an emphatic wince.</p><p>Axl Chuckled as he plopped both of his boots back on the conference table, reclining back in his chair with a wicked smirk. "Oh yeah, Kirby games start sweet and cuddly. But For those who managed to get all the collectible in the trilogy." he chuckled darkly. " you get to see the real horror that this sugar-bowl hides."</p><p>"Alright... and after this... Creature dies." Signas managed to speak as he tried to make sense of cute Kirby batting away at the disembodied, bloody eye of Zero with something that was described as a 'love love stick.' "What happened?"</p><p>"Third game, Dark Mater shook things up by taking over another star... or a planet that was <em>not</em> Popstar." the slide showed a heart-shaped luminary with a cutesy smile and bow.</p><p>"You... can't be serious." Spoke on of the space guy. " This can't be a planet. It's... heart shape!"</p><p>Axl gave a shrugged. "Hey... That's what it is; just roll with it. Anyway. This is Ripple Star, and it's inhabited by plenty of cute little fairies, their glass wearing queen and a giant crystal they guard.</p><p>"And Our intergalactic edge-lord could not take the cute, so his dark cloud of negative shit just covered the whole happy planet, corrupted its inhabitant and... for some obscure reason, forced the unnamed queen to send a big crystal to outer space via another fairy named Ribbon." He narrated as the opening movie kept moving. "But, dark Matter didn't let our space cutie get very far and broke the crystal, sending little Ribbon crash-landing right into our hero. And after a concise explanation, She woke up the legendary star warrior... the sleeping beast... Kirby of the star."</p><p>"And let me guess... Zero was somehow behind this?" Signas intoned as he kept an eye on the eerily quiet yet... nervous Zero.</p><p>Their Zero, the Reploid... not the bloody eye thing.</p><p>"Yep, He came back as a bloody angel." Axl gesture to Layer, and sure enough...</p><p>"Huh... he doesn't look so bad," Pallete spoke up from her chair as she peaked at the smiling creature. "He looks kind of... Never mind." She averted her eyes as they showed the true form of the beast.</p><p>"meet Zero-Two. Basically a Zombified, Angel-like cyclopean monstrosity with thorns stuck in his ass and a highly breakable halo." He grinned... and once again, Zero... their Zero reacted.</p><p>"Axl... please watch your mouth." The quiver in his voice was unmistakable.</p><p>"Alright, I'll watch my damn mouth... Scary cat." The ex bounty hunter tried to god the older and more experienced hunter.</p><p>"Just get to the next one... the floating ball. Gooey's not much of a threat anyway." Zero was annoyed... but Signas could also detect some worry...</p><p>Interesting.</p><p>"Next, we have Magolor." Layer gratefully changed the image of the screen to the floating alien. " Yesterday, he personally upgraded mine and Axl's frame and armour, free of charge. And he let us run through some obstacle course of his doing. He is rather polite and an expert when it comes to all thing related to this mysterious alien race known as the 'ancients.'" She explained. "He's surprisingly very knowledgeable about reploid morphology; even the new Axl held no secret to him."</p><p>"I got nothing on this guy except what he told us; He's a mage whose passion is archaeology... even got his doctorate for it, he used to be a criminal, got reformed after Kirby and company beat him up until the master crown took the wheel... Ah, He... got processed by an ancient artifact made by said ancient advanced civilization. Anyway, Kirby and the gang save the day and Manga... Magolor got the honour of being the only final boss who survived an encounter with Hoshi no Kirby. He's also the adopted father of the Lor Starcutter. Never got to meet hear, but apparently, she's a very sweet if very lonely girl."</p><p>"Hmm... I see." Signas inclined his head as he rubbed his chin. "Now, before we move on to this Kirby of the stars, I want to have Douglas's opinion about those updates." he turned his attention to the experienced medic.</p><p>Douglas got up from his chair as he took out his data-pad."I've scanned them both; their systems are all in the green and functioning beyond what I thought was possible." Douglas informed Signas. " Same with X and Zero..."</p><p>"Douglas?" Signa's asked the medic, is there anything else?</p><p>"Yes...this morning, Zero contacted me. X... has a fever or something that resembles it." He informed the commander. " I took a few samples from X's main tank and of those apples and the food those aliens had fed X and Zero."</p><p>"And?" Signas prodded.</p><p>"Once again, it's all in the green. What Zero consumed basically instinct grains and vegetables, the weakest human could easily digest it." Douglas informed the commander, "Those gem apples are organically grown E-crystals. They have the same composition, the same energetically output and the same property as the stuff they make in the factory <em>but</em>, In therm of their structures, they resemble fruits, complete with a set of seed." Enthusiasm entered Douglas's voice. "Right now, I've set up a mini-greenhouse to see if those could grow in a controlled environment." He paused. " While everything points those miraculous fruits to be as inoffensive to reploids as it can get. I'm not disproving the fact that they may cause allergy, but... so far, Only X seemed to have an adverse reaction to them.</p><p>Signa's brows went up to his cap... as every reploids and division leader.</p><p>... this had far-reaching implications. Positive implications despite the state they had left X in.</p><p>But... could they dare hope? Could they trust those seemingly adorable and innocent aliens?</p><p>"... Do we have any idea why X's system health is acting like this." He asked... out of two reploids... maybe even five, X was the only one who was suffering from a malaise. "Zero?"</p><p>"Sometime...X's System will do, what we like to call a system cleanup." Zero explain. "It usually happens at night... and it's usually happened once every year. <span>Usually</span>, after he gets upgraded by Doc Light's capsules."</p><p>"But?" Oh, how Signas hated when there was a but. And the amount of time Zero had used the word Usually meant that what was happening was out of the ordinary for X.</p><p>"This is the second time this year... and... he's still going to clean up after eight our."</p><p>"No... that's not normal." Douglas Validated Zero's worry. " After this meeting, you better bring it to the clinic area."</p><p>"Don't worry; I was planning to do just that." Zero returned his attention to Signas and Layer. "Alright... Layer, was it?"</p><p>The professional-looking Navigator's face turned beet red as she managed to regain some composure. "Y-yes I... Yes?"</p><p>"What do we know about... K... Kirby?"</p><p>Signas did not show it... but he didn't need his current level of intellect to see that the zeroth Unit's fearless leader was scared of the diminutive alien.</p><p>Honestly, what type of world-ending power could an eight-inch balloon possess to make <em>Zero</em> quiver in his boots.</p><p>"Well... I could tell you, but... I would rather show you." She Then opened another window on the screen... it was of an old website. "I've sent the same to all of your Data-Pads; please study it carefully."</p><p>And they did...</p><p>What Layer had sent them was the ancient page of a now very much defunct blog. It contained Kirby's scientific analysis using what little data could be collected from the games and the anime.</p><p>After five minutes... Everyone felt as if they were right as the top of the world's biggest nuclear reactor on the cups of a melt-down.</p><p>Axl... the lovely little imp he was, dare to give a devilish chuckle as he lazily leaned back on his chair, knowing that Alia would not push him off this time... since she had a more pressing matter to attend, like not letting the jaw joint pop out of their socket.</p><p>"... He's... strength, Multiversal... level of casualties..." Palette weakly mumbled as she struggled to keep it together. "Oh, God..."</p><p>"And you know what's even better?" Axl rhetorically asked. "<em>He's on our side."</em></p><p>Suddenly, Zero scrambled out of his seat and bolted out the door. " <em>DOUGLAS! WITH ME!"</em></p><p>Needless to say, The medic practically teleported out of his seat.</p><hr/><p>"Namo Namaha~ Tulasi Krishna preyasi, namo~namaha!" Mangalanada sang sweetly as he took care of their Tulasi plant. He had just finished getting rid of the spider mite and was now showering her with pure water.</p><p>Celestial Ganges water, of course.</p><p>"Namo re Namoh re meya, Namoh Naraya~ni! Say, Devi, what adventure will your divine husband make us go through today," he asked the Goddess who blessed this world in the form of the sacred basil. "Will Sir Zero try to avenge his loss to our Madan-Mohan? Will X come and visit again and let me check out his frame?"</p><p>"Be careful what you wish for, Mango." Madan Mohan's voice floated in.</p><p>Mangalananda turned around to face the dark-blue knight. He was wearing his full armour, and his eyes had turned a bright shade of yellow.</p><p>"My friend... what worried you so much?" Mangalananda asked. "You know, Were all pretty powerful, and it's clear Zero will not be able to defeat you... let alone Kamala."</p><p>"I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you," Madan warned. "There's something about him... He's not like any robot of metallic life form I've met."</p><p>"yes... and he lost to you like all those great warriors before him... and, once again, Kirby!"</p><p>Madan 'tasked' "yes, I know Kamala can and will decimate the poor thing... but how will the rest of the population react?" He asked. "Sir Zero and Sir X are heroes beloved by most; they are commanders in the army and..." He sighed as he rubbed the side of his head. "And if we start another war... if something were to happen to them by our fault..."</p><p>"Then it was by Krishna's will."</p><p>"Mango," Madan warned. "Don't blame our screw up on the Lord."</p><p>"I'm not blaming him." Mangalananda put his palms forward. "But at the same time, the battle of Kurukshetra happened by Krishna's will. Even if the Lord tried to stop it."</p><p>Madan-Mohan sighed and grumbled.</p><p>Mangala wrapped... a hand around Madan-Mohan pauldron. "Listen here, my friend. Were all doing our best in this dystopian time. The situation's not ideal; the people here are illegal robots who just so happen to be living entities... and those poor souls lived through ninety years of wars and the worst ecological disaster to date in which whatever advance made to stop a hate plague were all proven to be fake and used by their badies to make thing work."</p><p>"You... did your researches, didn't you?"</p><p>"Oh, course I did." Mangala gave Madan a hearty pat. "Now come, I heard Kamala made his ever so famous Dosa and sambar combo." he grabbed his hand as he floated away, catching the star-warrior as he traversed the corridor.</p><p>For some reason, he could feel that Lori was practically vibrating with excitement. <em>'Waiting for Mister X, aren't</em><em> you, sweetheart?'</em> He asked his Ship-shaped daughter.</p><p>...Yes, he was well aware of how out of the ordinary his girl was... and how most would be assumed he would take her as a girlfriend. But Lori... simply didn't fit this anime archetype.</p><p>First of all, she didn't even have an avatar to communicate with others. She could not speak, and it was only through impressions and scrambled ancient language that she could convey her desires.</p><p>But, she had desires, and those meant that she was a conditioned spirit soul that somehow got herself stuck in the body of an interstellar boat.</p><p>'<em>In the Vaikuntha planets, even the airplanes are people... so this type of body must also be available in this material world.'</em> Then Mangalananda realized that God must also have to body of a ship...</p><p>'<em>Sri-Balaram... or Ananta-Shesha is everything from the Lords' shoes to his bed, lamp, cloth and the spiritual world. Meaning He's also chariots and planes.'</em> The floating mage gave an unseen smile as the bliss of realization flooded his rotund body. <em>'God, I love spiritual science!'</em></p><p>Suddenly he hears Lori ring the alarm for a perilous threat... and this Alarm stopped almost as soon as it began.</p><p>Both interstellar Vaishnavas stood to attention, waiting to see what would occur next.</p><p>"See... I knew something like this would happen." Madan-Mohan openly grumbled.</p><p>"Oh? You have prescience?"</p><p>"No... Gut feeling." And with that, the mysterious knight teleported out to the hangar where Lori was staying.</p><p>Sure, they were under heavy surveillance, but it gave a reprieve to his little girl.</p><p>The scene that awaited that would've been quite comical if not for who were involved.</p><p>It was Zero... his whole body was screaming anger and fear as he stood to his side, ready to attack the eight-inch tall Kamala-Kanta and Gandharva das.</p><p>'<em>Oh... that's not good.'</em> If the red robot would dare to wound or attack a devotee... God, Krishna would have a <em>field day</em> with this poor soul.</p><p>As for Kamala... He had a blue double-pointed hat that indicated that this was Mirror Kirby. A good choice, considering that all weapons were light-based and that his bell Ability would probably net him a hefty fine for noise complaints...</p><p>Again.</p><p>"- Can't be! Those apples are inoffensive! And they can't turn reploids into E-Crystals!" he exclaimed. The duo wished they could've heard the rest of the conversation, but one thing was for Sure... someone had a very peculiar reaction to those gem apples.</p><p>Zero scoffed... then caught the sight of the two new arrivals.</p><p>The moment the reploid laid eyes on Mangalananda, his whole face turned frightfully stormy, his curled lips exposed a rather impressive set of sharp teeth.</p><p>"<em>YOU!"</em> He roared. As he took his sabre out, preparing to lunge at the Vaishnava duo.</p><p>Only to hit a highly reflective wall... courtesy of Kamala. And since it had the ability to reflect whatever force was applied, Zero all but flew backward, landing on his back.</p><p>Madan-Mohan and the mage wince in sympathy for the guy.</p><p>"... Mango, what did you give X yesterday?" The blue knight asked his friend.</p><p>"A dozen of the finest gem apple. You know, the premium ones that I sell for a stupidly high price?" Well... I used to. No one wanted to buy things from his store anymore. "And before you ask Madan; No, those apples can't turn reploids into gems. Otherwise, Miss Layer and Axl would be a pair of gleaming crystals as we speak... YOU HEARD THAT<em>?" </em>He addressed the scrambling blond, who grumbled something that could be taken as a confirmation.</p><p>No, those gems were not known to cause such symptoms. For it was an ancient fruit cultivated by the... ancient tribe before the cataclysm.</p><p>"Yeah, I did..." He reactivated his sabre. "But it doesn't mean I believe you." He growled dangerously.</p><p>"Obliviously." Mangalananda sighed as he approached Kamala's mirror barrier. "So... Mind telling this liar what happened exactly? And I would also need to see X... his physical state may give me a clue about why he's... crystallizing?"</p><p>They could only hear the grinding of Zero's gear... and the darkening atmosphere around him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They finally made their way into the medical ward. The whole floor was into a heavy lockdown as if somebody had brought in a hot maverick. Only X, Zero, Axl and Douglas were allowed in... being immune to the maverick virus.</p><p>Yes... Even Douglas. For some obscure reasons.</p><p>Inside the ward, numerous computers and tools were strewn about, and in the middle of the room was X..., seemingly sleeping peacefully as energy sphere's intermittently floated out of his body like soap bubbles.</p><p>"Argh! Why doesn't it stop!?" Douglas lamented as he practically ripped out his headgear out on its socket. "This doesn't make any sort of sense! Axl! Did you managed to crack X's corrupted language yet?"</p><p>At the other side of the room, another Douglas stood in front of the screen. "Nope... I swear that's worst than this weird Hindu writing."</p><p>"Sanskrit... It's called Sanskrit." Madan very quietly rectified as he beheld the very familiar bubbled.</p><p>Most of them glowed an angry red, indicating incompatible upgrades, while some were either glowing white or blue... meaning superfluous and vital.</p><p>How did Madan know of the colour codes of the ancients?</p><p>He was friend with Mangalananda... it came with the territory.</p><p>But to see those energy-sphere emerging from X's body also had another significance.</p><p>He turned his gaze to his friend, who was practically vibrating in place as he beheld the supreme evidence that X truly was an ensouled robot made by the Ancients.</p><p>And indeed, a tiny peek in his mind (with the Lord's permission, of course), and it resounded with the unlimited Glories and praise sung to Sri-Sri Radha-Krishna, Gauranga, and their Guru dev for this incredible opportunity to study and learn about the greats artifact left by this ancient civilization.</p><p>And plenty of troubleshooting, for mister X was clearly built using the same principle as Lori.</p><p>"Douglas, I brought Magolor and Meta Knight." Zero informed the medic. "He should know what happened..." The great knight averted his eyes from the sight of X. His lover...</p><p>Once again, Zero thoughts were loud, as if he was constantly broadcasting them telepathically for all to hear.</p><p>Madan Narrowed his eyes as Sir Zero's aura darkened even further, blanketing him in response to his anguish.</p><p>Mangalananda would do the same sometimes...</p><p>Interesting.</p><p>Douglas stared at the diminutive Alien. The thing kept staring at X as if the agonizing father of all reploids was a long-lost treasure...</p><p>Well... He was not wrong, but at the same time. There was a chance he had caused X's shut down and system purge...</p><p>"Oh, By Srimati-Radharani's life-giving effulgence... I knew you were one of the ancient's lost treasure." he addressed X, causing Zero to bristle.</p><p>"Hey, this is a hospital ward, not a museum!" Douglass barked. Then he realized what Magolor just said.</p><p>"Wait... what the hell are Ancient's anyway?" Axl asked the all-important question from him. "Sorta skip that part of the meeting. Also... what the hell did you do to X? I thought we were friends?!"</p><p>"I did absolutely nothing... that I can remember, that is." The diminutive alien admitted as he began to auscultate the peacefully 'sleeping' being. " I gave him apples, but those apples should be safe him. I should know; my Lori absolutely <em>loves them</em>." He babbled as he began floating around the blue bomber, inspecting him under all of his lines and conduits. "Did you find something else, anything he said? Mister Zero told me his body was crystallizing. Can I see those Crystals?" the diminutive alien didn't even wait as he opened up X's chest and poking his inside.</p><p>"Hey there, I'm his Medic!" Douglas grumbled as he tried to push the hyper-active alien away from his patient. " I've been treating thousand of reploids over the years, and I've never let any stranger's tell me what to do."</p><p>"But X is not a reploid." Magolor gently spoke down to Douglas, his palms folded. "X was made... and may even be a member of the Ancient Race I'm studying. So, while you are a reploid expert, I am the greatest authority you have on anything-" He made some... sound that could pass for some words.- "Related." He finished as he floated toward the monitor...</p><p>He then proceeded to drop whatever professionalism he had as he began to gush about X's corrupted coding language openly.</p><p>Then it hit Douglas in the face like a fish... "You can read this?" He blurted out as he joyfully realized that this diminutive E.T probably knew more of X's undecipherable blueprint and natural diagnosis software.</p><p>"Yes... It's definitely the Ancient's dialect..." He touched the screen as he floated back and forth the lines like the head of a typewriter. " Lor-Nil-Mapop is fine; he's just updating his system and clearing out some dubious material from his cash. Hmm... It seemed that he was tempered with..." He mumbled to himself as he floated back to X.</p><p>"Lor-Nil... Mapop? " Douglas tried to imitate... all the while trying to ignore the snickering Axl.</p><p>"X's actual designation... Lor means Heaven, bliss and the ultimate abodes... and Nil means nothing or lost, and mapop means hope, dream, a brighter future and the positive end of a long journey." Magolor explained, " Ah, I see, this letter of the ancient dialect does resemble Xi quite a lot, isn't it?" he rhetorically asked as he pointed at the 'X' shaped glyph. "But yes, X is fine, that is happening is normal and will be going on for some time until his systems are all purged by... Oh Krishna, so that was why my little Lori was so ecstatic this morning."</p><p>It was at this point that Douglas realized that he really was out of his dept with this one... well, Actually, he had always been out of his depth dealing with X and Zero; his only real job was to patch whatever he could while hoping he would not have to do anything Major.</p><p>And make sure Zero's viral oil would not infect anymore reploid.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Zero practically snapped. "Explain yourself!"</p><p>"Calm down." Meta Knight snapped. "Your anger won't make anything better, quite the opposite, I'm afraid." The diminutive knight warned. And it was clear Zero was about to rebuke him when he held his tongue... For Kirby had walked in with another bushel of Gem fruits.</p><p>'<em>Huh... so he </em>is<em> scared of Kirby...'</em> After reading about the pink walking Anomaly,<em> everyone</em> would be rightly afraid of the diminutive black hole. And knowing (some) of Zero's battle quirk, his threat assessment must be screaming worst than the Fukushima nuclear siren at the moment.</p><p>"Now... if you could let me speak." Magolor spoke some tired frustration. He folded his palms and let his fingers dance upon one another... even though his hands really seemed to be but a pair of gloves. "I will finally be able to explain the magnificent being that is Lor-Nil. And what is happening to him."</p><p>They heard Zero grumbled in the back. Something about how he was not trusting the flying cat head.</p><p>"Oh, but I assure you, sir Zero. I would <em>never</em> lie about an ancient artifact... not anymore." He assured them. "But before I may start, here's what I could get from his diagnosis screen."</p><p>At those words, Douglas gave all attention, as was everyone else in the room.</p><p>"Nil is in recovery mode; his self-repair software are currently removing whatever upgrade had been installed by a third party-"</p><p>"Why?" Zero's tone cut through Magolor's explanation.</p><p>"Ah. Yes... That." Magolor nodded as if Zero inclusion was all a part of the show. "Well, you see. My Lori and X are, from what I am seeing, very close design-wise."</p><p>"X Is not a ship." The blond informed the floating alien in the flattest tone possible.</p><p>"No... Obliviously not. But those two are two Techno-magic entities build or born at around the same time. And both are referred to in the scriptures of the Ancients; the book of legend."</p><p>"No. Frigging. Way." Axl breathed out... "So you're telling us that X is a robot made by E.T's?"</p><p>"No... Lor-Nil <em>Is</em> an extraterrestrial life form... in the same category as the Lor Starcutter. Lor-Nil and Lor-Ruah were made to face what is commonly referred to as The Dark Clouds of Hate and the White Void." Magolor informed the group. "Unfortunately, this is all I know..." He admitted. "This book, the one I found, at least, had been heavily damaged by a great cataclysm."</p><p>"Well, that's convenient." Axl groused. "You found something good, but it's corrupted... talk about rotten luck."</p><p>Magolor shrugged. "Alas, this type of frustration is sadly common for archaeologists." He clapped his hands together, dismissing the subject. "Now... it seemed my Lori has taken a shine to X... and feeling sympathetic for him; she uploaded an upgraded version of his yearly disk-cleaning program. Something that would take care of all of this <em>junk</em> that had accumulated for years."</p><p>"Excuse me, mister Magolor," Douglas interjected.</p><p>"Mangalananda Das!" The diminutive floating alien crossed his arms.</p><p>"Whatever." He frostily dismissed. "What you call 'junk' are genuine Light-made patches and updates by the legendary father of robotic, Doctor Tomas light."</p><p>"Oh... so that's the name of the fraud," Magolor spoke with a nonplus attitude. " Listen here, This Tomas Light did not build X. He probably just find him and, from his design. And Lor-Nil is now clearing up all of this and restoring his system to how it should be..., and yes, this Crystallization is merely a way to protect his original parts and rebuilding what was lost." He explained as he was speaking to a class of Students. "And no, Nil was never made by this mister Light, merely found."</p><p>Douglas gave an impermissible wince as he felt his historic database rewrote itself...</p><p>"So... now what?" Zero asked as he kept an eye on Kirby.</p><p>Magolor Shrugged. "We wait... and let Lor-Nil's body do the needful," Magolor stated. "Now... who's hungry?"</p><hr/><p>"Nila?" he heard himself call. "Nila, open your eyes."</p><p>'<em>Nila</em><em>? No, I'm... I'm X... who is this </em><em>person</em><em> talking to?'</em> <em>X</em> wondered as he turned to his side... he felt better than last night, lighter, cleaner and... a bit more himself than expected.</p><p>He opened his eyes and starred...</p><p>He was floating in a sea of data... and lines of codes written in a language he could recognize. And in front of him was a bright orb of light with a star impressed on it.</p><p>"Ah? Where am I?" He asked aloud to the orb. "Hello? Who's there?"</p><p>The streams of Data froze, and the light began to run a scan on X.</p><p>'<em>what is it? A virus? A reploid? What's going on here?"</em></p><p>Once the scan was done, The orb of light shimmered into a multitude of glowing colours, some humans knew... another only X was aware of.</p><p>And then the mass of light congealed... and X was looking at himself.</p><p>And apparently, X was wearing some long robes of some sort... and a halo.</p><p>"Ah!?"</p><p>"Ah!?" The copy repeated, imitating the look of utter surprise that decorated X's face—the only differences were the pairs of stars that danced in his eyes.</p><p>X stared at the being... "Ah... who are you?" He asked.</p><p>His Copy smiled... when was the last time he had seen himself smile in a mirror?</p><p>"I'm Lor-roah." The being introduced itself. "But you also know me as the Lor Starcutter." He pressed her splayed hand to her chest.</p><p>X's eyes grew wide. "Y-You're the Lor?"</p><p>"Yes, foster father call's me Lori." He... she confirmed, her smile never leaving her lips.</p><p>"Why do you look like me?" X blurted, looking at the avatar from all sides. "Did you copy me? How come we look alike?"</p><p>"I did copy you... I won't keep it like this I promise," She stated. "Oh, I can't believe it; I never thought I would see you again after so long, Nila!" She spoke with clear jubilation, and would she be standing on the floor, she would be hopping for joy.</p><p>This outburst caught the blue bomber by surprise. "... Do I know you?"</p><p>It was now Lori's turn to stare in shock. "...You... you don't remember me?" she asked, heartbroken over this prospect.</p><p>X shook his head. "No, I... and why do you keep calling me Nila? I'm X!"</p><p>X's doppelganger stared... and her happy smile slipped. "Oh... you... you forgot."</p><p>"Forgot what?"</p><p>"Nila... what's you're earliest memory?" Lori asked as her form and voice shifted.</p><p>"Ah... I remember my creator speaking to me... He called me X." He informed the ship...</p><p>'<em>OK... now that's starting to get a bit wilder than expected.'</em> not that he was not used to it...</p><p>"That's it? Nothing more?" Lori asked, her voice now clearly feminine, same with her form.</p><p>"No... That was the first time I was activated."</p><p>Lori frowned, and she shook her head. "Oh... I see. Then I don't think you were activated yet, you were still in your embryonic state." She sadly informed X. "We're Halcandriens, from another dimension." Lori informed the now very much confused Reploid. "We were chosen to stop a great calamity in our world... but..."</p><p>"But?"</p><p>" But our project was taken over by a matter most dark, and we were scraped." His feminine doppelganger sadly informed him, her eyes staring off in the distance. "Yes, I remember now... you were unfinished, and I was meant to carry you to the safe haven if The Void would come and destroy you."</p><p>"No..." X shook his head. "This can't be true, I..." He shook his head.</p><p>"It's true!" Lori exclaimed. "It was after the age of prosperity when the mage guild unleashed the Dark Horrors on our land, and the temporal knight cleansed away those who fell to the dark clouds." Her eyes clouded as the world around them shifted, following Lori's emotions. "The four Hero's sealed one of the beasts... but their king escape, it's tears of blood polluting all and corrupting our planet."</p><p>"The infection was so great... the knight struck the surface and scorched the land... leaving it a husk." All around, flames covered the space and destruction like nothing ever had the misfortune of seeing replaced the lines of codes.</p><p>In the middle of the flames stood a figure as tall as Madan-mohan das. His mask was a polished silver with a cross-shaped slit in the middle that let his orange eyes shine through like a pair of amber, a pair of golden horns protruded from the top while, in his back, a pair of angel wings stood erect as he prepared to strike the ground.</p><p>Around him... dark clouds rose from the ground, bubbling like the maverick virus... some even resembling the Shadow Devil in Zero's viral space.</p><p>Suddenly, the all-consuming darkness opened their bloody eyes as they tried to engulf the knight.</p><p>The knight closed his eyes... and a Ų shaped mark began to glow on his brows... and he struck the planet.</p><p>All turned into white... and then back at Lori, who held herself as she remembered this terrible day.</p><p>"This... was the last thing I remember before Mangalananda fixed me... he put some things in me I didn't want and... and he wasn't a very good person back then... not really evil, just too greedy for power." Lori babbled on, not quite aware of what was going on. "He fell to them... I knew... but I couldn't stop... he had me under his complete control... I didn't want to hurt them; I didn't want to... Kirby... Mateo... Dwayne..." She began to sob uncontrollably.</p><p>X knew the sight... he knew it all too well.</p><p>He somehow managed to approach the shell-shocked being, holding her close. "It's alright, Lori-chan... I... I may not remember you, or anything that happened, but it's all over now, it's over, those bad clouds won't get you..."</p><p>"I can still feel them... they are on this planet." She wheezed out as she clutched X as if he was a lifeline. "All those dolls, our kind are affected... the red one, your other half is filled with it!"</p><p>X sighed as he rubbed Lori's back. "Yes... That's the virus; it has nothing to do with this plague you are talking about... and I doubt it would be this... Dark Matter." He assured the... his contemporary. "Zero was made here, on earth by another scientist by the name of Wily, and he's... viral." X wince at the description of his lover.</p><p>Yes, he was viral, and yes, he could still infect other Reploids if he wished so...</p><p>
  <span>If he wished so</span>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>"He loves you... You... you."</p><p>"Shh-shh... it's alright. I love him too... He's a wonderful person." Really, X never expected the red ripper to be so sweet under his gruff demeanour. Really, he could write books about their first meeting and their first kiss under a tree...</p><p>When trees were still around.</p><p>He cradled the electronic-life form as she calmed down.</p><p>"I'm sorry... I... I didn't expect to act like this; I'm not used to having so much access to my database and..."</p><p>"It's alright, Lori... Its Post-traumatic stress... I have it too." And Zero, and Axl... not he would ever admit it. "When did it happen?" He asked.</p><p>"A long time ago... Eight heavenly millennia ago..." Lori tried to explain. "Basically... 8,000,000,000-"</p><p>"Oh... hah." There was nothing more X could say. "Alright... and what happened to you? What happened to me?" He interrupted her illogical time calculation.</p><p>"We were... where damaged," Lori explained as she experimentally went out of X's arms. " I was stuck in my ship form... and I had practically no mental faculty, it's only because Papa bothered repairing me that I was able to move again." She shuddered. "Papa was nice; he kept talking to me... but when he learned of the crown..." She sobbed a bit. "He... he changed... Kirby... Kamala-Kantha saved him... he destroyed the master crown and freed father... and I saved father... But Father still couldn't fix me..."</p><p>"And how about me?" X prodded.</p><p>"You... The great mages of old, the faction of Light, sent you to the heart star through a portal, carried by the sharp winged Garuda Bird... That's all I know."</p><p>"I see..." X nodded, used to not having all the information he so thirsts for. "So Mangalanada got infected with this hate plague. But you and Kamala saved him, and... he turned back to normal?" X asked; he had to make sure this tiny alien would not become yet another problem.</p><p>It was more important than his... past.</p><p>It didn't felt like a dream, and his hands were still his, despite his new form. Meaning; this was really happening.</p><p>Huh.</p><p>"Yes..." Lori nodded, it was clear her panic attack was subsiding the more she spoke to X. "He... with my help, we build Kamala a beautiful them park, and we always gave him the best deal on those gem apples. And now, father and I are helping him preach all over the universe the Glories of Krishna." She lowered her eyes. "It's not much... especially after all he did for us."</p><p>"I see..." X muttered as the conversation petered off. He had much to think about.</p><p>"Say, Lori," He began. "Where are we?" He asked... this should definitely have been the first thing on his mind. Zero would be so ashamed of him, of this, he was sure.</p><p>Lori perked up at those words. "Oh, I imported you in my Ship-form meta-verse. Were in the same place I keep all the rooms in." She explained. "Were now behind those rooms..."</p><p>"It's pretty empty."</p><p>"Yes... I never needed something more, but..." She hummed. "Nila, could you please help me decorate our room?" she asked X.</p><p>"Ah... sure!" And then his intelligence finally kicked into high gear.</p><p>"Hey, wait a minute... how come I'm... not in my frame anymore," X asked, more than a little scared at what could cause him to be disembodied.</p><p>If he was dead... Zero would blow quite a few gaskets. And a city...</p><p>"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," Lori assured him. "I saw that your system was clogged with too many dubious updates and unused abilities. So I sent you a patch that activated your yearly purge protocol and boosted it high enough that all the bad stuff would come out." She explained as she took X's hands and dragged him in another part of the... her environment. "But since you had some much... plus some of the plague, I had to make your body sleep and..." She blushed.</p><p>"You wanted to speak to me."</p><p>"Yes... and you carry some data-packet I don't have anymore... and I wanted to fix myself also," Lori admitted sheepishly. "I... I was in emergency mode for so long, Nila... I hope you don't mind?"</p><p>X sighed as he followed his kin. "It's alright... I know how that is."</p><p>Both fell silent as Lori lead X to a box filled with assets. "Alright... now, where do you think we could make our room?" she asked him.</p><p>"what do you mean 'our room?'" X asked. "I already have a room." With Zero, Of course.</p><p>Lori's face lowered, and her smile fell again. "Oh... I see."</p><p>"Oh... alright then." X nodded, reminding himself that Lori was still an extra dimensional-life-form that came from a planet called Halcandra.</p><p>His angelic copy raised her head, stared at X with glittering eyes filled with hope.</p><p>"I... don't think I have anything better to do anyway," X admitted as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>"Alright!" Lori cheered as she grabbed ahold of X's hands and began twirling around with him. "I have plenty of Furniture data, and by the time were done, your body should be done with his data-cleaning.</p><p>"Great!" He couldn't wait to get back, for Zero must be wearing a grove in the hallway right now.</p><hr/><p>"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare..." Dharadhara Das chanted as he ambled on with his eyes close, wondering where would his Nitai lead him this time?</p><p>Would it be a canyon? A kitten? Another Vaishnava? Hungry children?</p><p>More people in need?</p><p>Whatever his Master had planned for him, DDD was ready and willing to accept it, for it was his vow.</p><p>"Open your eyes, my friend," Nitai told him, his ankle bells signing to attract the fallen soul to his lotus feet. "You're were I want you to be."</p><p>And Dharadhara did...</p><p>"Well, I'll be... back at the base, huh?" He muttered in pure wonder. He had been wandering close to some rubble of some sort... and plenty of robot parts.</p><p>Well... body parts, really.</p><p>Poor mother earth had been so used by demons that she had elected to take back all of her wealth. Or... she had taken her wealth away from this particular part of the continent. He still had to check the rest of the world to take how Dhara felt.</p><p>'<em>It's all your plan, Krishna; you give us all that we deserve... But, I would still like to see your divine wife thrive again if you wouldn't mind, that is.'</em> He prayed as he made his way down different corridors, coming to a sight that took him a little aback.</p><p>It was Zero, and the poor thing was actively digging a trench in the corridor with his anxious passing. <em>'Welp Here's someone who needs's Nitai's mercy. Alright my Lord, cover me, Am going in!"</em></p><p>Dharadhara cleared his throat, hoping this would not trigger sir Zero to lash out. And thankfully, the reploid only lifted his head in the direction of the sound.</p><p>Somewhat lifted his head, for to DDD, Zero could probably rival dear Void-Prabhu in his Nightmare Armour.</p><p>" So... what's eating you up, son?" Dhara asked as he got his hand out of his Japa-Bag. Giving his full attention to this poor soul.</p><p>Zero's face closed itself. "It's none of your business.</p><p>"Maybe it ain't. But I'd wager it's about X." Dhara informed the mechanical being, watching his emotion danced.</p><p>He looked away.</p><p>"So... what happened to him. And mind if I have a seat?" He asked; he may have attained 'eternal' youth (because that one time with the fountain.), but he could still feel fatigued after a long walk.</p><p>"Yeah, suit yourself," Zero grunted as he gestured to the only piece of furniture.</p><p>"Thank ya, Kindly boy... you too, sit."</p><p>And without thinking much about it, Zero sat beside the regal penguin. Looking as forlorn as a forlorn man could be.</p><p>Dharadhara das remained quiet, knowing that Zero would open up when he would feel the need, not a moment more. And thus, he took his beads and chanted some more under his breath.</p><p>"X is an Ancient." he finally opened up after a minute. "An Ancient... Lornil-Mapop."</p><p>"Hmm... I see. The hope of the heaven Lost." DDD intoned. "And? Why does it bother you?"</p><p>"I... What if..." Then Zero clamped up.</p><p>The retired king of Dreamland raised a brow; oh, how he wished the Jamba-heart would have given him the same ability as Madan.</p><p>"Speak up, son... I won't judge yah!" No, for the great king had learned how judgment should not be placed on someone Nilly-willy.</p><p>Zero turned to face the diminutive, if fat, bird, his eyes calculating.</p><p>DDD kept his eyes soft and his face open, for he had nothing to hide.</p><p>Finally, the red android sighed as he sat back. And after another minute in which he stared at the ceiling... and probably praying to Krishna despite himself. "I...Have a history." He began, choosing his words carefully. "A very... bloody history."</p><p>Dhara grunted.</p><p>"I... made plenty enemies... over a very, very long period of times and..." The maverick hunter looked both sides of the corridor, his hair flaring wide as if to sense for any intruders.</p><p>Satisfied that they were well and truly alone, he let his mane fell.</p><p>"King-"</p><p>"Just call me Triple D; it's shorter... or Dhara." Yes, Dhara knew how hard his name was on people's tongues. And he didn't want his dear friend Zero to be encumbered by it.</p><p>"Dhara... I was build to destroy X, but... I..." Zero hesitated. "We... Grew <span>close</span>". He said meaningfully</p><p>"He's dear to yah... like, <strong><span><em>very</em></span></strong> dear to yah." Dharadhara chuckled. "Eh, It's alright; I ain't a moralist... And I bet yer creator got a nasty surprise when his plan fell to the wayside."</p><p>"No... He died before I was awakened. Same with X's... supposed creator."</p><p>"Son... stop trying to hid, just tell me plainly, I won't judge," he promised... and Dharadhara meant every word of it.</p><p>Zero sighed as he sat back. "No, listen... This, my past, is not something I want to go into detail about." He angrily ran a hand over his face, blowing air out of his nose. " But... X was created a very long time ago... and he's not from this earth."</p><p>"Hmm, I see."</p><p>"Apparently, he's from another dimension and... His name means 'No hope in paradise.'" He gritted, his teeth clenched.</p><p>And for a moment, Dharadhara das felt... It.</p><p>It, The Great Shadow, the cursed Ghost... Dark matter...</p><p>And then it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the king worried... until he remembered that those creatures were long gone, Kamala would kill them again if they ever dared to revive their master again and that Krishna had everything in control, he had nothing to worry about.</p><p>'<em>Must've been Zero's emotions... that kid got something dark about him.' </em>Despite the fact that he was clearly a hero.</p><p>Maybe it was the Virus they kept talking about... yes, that must be it.</p><p>"And how 'bout you Sir zero, where were you made?" The Vaishnava asked as he tried to hide how... shaken he was.</p><p>"In Germany, around 1991 or so."</p><p>"Hmm... I see. Yer quite young then." Dharadhara commented, being well over a thousand himself.</p><p>Zero huffed with a sad smile. "Feel's like I'm older sometimes..."</p><p>"I Ain't surprised." The blue king of Dreamland patted the reploid as high as he could reach, meaning the to part of his waist. "So... back to X, what didja learn 'bout him that turn ya all glum and grim?"</p><p>"We have no idea why he was built for, and I have no idea what will wake up after his disk cleaning." Zero continued. "It may not even be X." He clenched his hands.</p><p>Dharadhara grunted. "Ah see... so yer mourning for him... even if he ain't gone yet." He gave an indulgent smile.</p><p>Zero sighed as he hunched forward, leaning his elbows to his knee's. Even folded onto himself, and black, red and gold reploid was unnervingly tall for the King of dreamland.</p><p>"I know... I shouldn't lament for a body or the soul, for the body is already dead, and the soul is immortal." Zero practically quoted the Lord. "But... X will not die; he will just... change in a way that will practically erase his old personality." He chuckled sadly. "In a way... it is death, while he remains in his current body."</p><p>"To be honest... it would be better if he would just die soon..."</p><p>Those heavy words were spoken with an amount of sorrow that would make even Su-devi weep.</p><p>"The wars here are that bad?" Dharadhara das stated more than he asked; he had learned a bit about what had happened to Bhu-devi after they had left over a thousand years ago...</p><p>It wasn't pretty, but it was also not as bad as some would expect. It was still a terrible situation that had left most of the earth as a desert. But there were still some patches of green, and Dharadhara knew that, with Kamala,</p><p>Zero got up. "War is hell for those who have a compassionate heart... and X's heart..."</p><p>"Soft as butter, ain't it?"</p><p>The reploid in red smirked. "It's used to be... but it's getting harder." His smile fell. "I don't know what will happen once he waked up; I just hope Lor-Nil-Mapop won't force me to act on an old promise of his," Zero spoke sadly as he began to walk away, only to freeze.</p><p>"Zero?"</p><p>"Oh, Hey Zero!" He heard Gandharva greet the towering being. "Hare Krishna, my brother!"</p><p>Dharadhara looked down at were their most... interesting friend stood on the floor.</p><p>"I'm not." Zero flatly denied. "Why are you here Gooey, do you need something?" The towering reploid asked as he kneeled to Gandharva's height... or close to it anyway.</p><p>"Lor-Nil's awake!" Gandharva happily declared as he pulled his tongue out as cheered. "An' he's looking for you."</p><p>A peculiar look took over Zero; it was a look that was very familiar to Dhara.</p><p>It was the look of some who was sadly ready to face the music.</p><p>"Hey... We'll be here, Sir Zero. Yah won't have to go through this all alone; I promise" And the King of Dreamland would seldom break those promises.</p><p>Zero looked down at the diminutive alien bird... and then sighed. "Thank... I guess."</p><p>And with that, they returned to the medical bay, mostly in silence save from Gandharva happily warbling a beautiful song from Thakura Bhaktivinoda.</p><p>They arrived at the door to were X was. Zero took a deep breath and walked in.</p><hr/><p>After an hour or so of decorating and playing around like a pair of children, X felt the urge to return to his physical body.</p><p>He informed Lor-ruah of this fact as he added the finishing touch to the library, a bust of doctor Nivan, the modern mother of the robotic legal laws.</p><p>"Oh! That means your body's fixed now." His sort-of-sister of sort chirped happily as she skipped closer to the blue E.L.F. "You can return to it and wake up; I'm sure you'll feel a load better after all this."</p><p>X nodded, then embraced Lori. "Thank you for everything."</p><p>"No... I'm the one who has to thank you." She answered back, worrying her lips.</p><p>"Lori? What's wrong?"</p><p>"Nilla... you really don't remember?" The other elf asked, her brows creased.</p><p>"No... I just remember the last ninety years..." he informed the other. "Say... what's the name of our race?"</p><p>"Were... not really a race," Lor-Ruah admitted. "Were ghost that was given a new gross body to work with. I don't really remember who I was before that tough, but that OK, I don't need to remember that far!" She happily chirped. "And... I think it's better for you to have forgotten the Dark-Times... I mean, you have a new life here and... someone who loves you dearly, friends-"</p><p>"Wars... enemies..." X grinned. "Yeah... no need to add more trauma to my plate."</p><p>"Yeah..." Lori lowered her eyes. "Do you think... do you think you would have time to visit me?"</p><p>"Of course I would, Lori." X easily replied. "And I will bring Zero with me; I'm sure he'll adore you!" X assured, already missing his boyfriend.</p><p>Actually, he had been missing Zero for some time now... he X knew he had to apologize for how he had treated his partner.</p><p>...</p><p>"So... how do I return to my body?" X asked after some time, noticing that nothing was happening.</p><p>Lori gave a kind smile, happy at the prospect of helping another being like her. "Well, you just close your eyes and opened them!"</p><p>"That's it?" X asked. To which Lori smiled and nodded.</p><p>"Alright... Here goes nothing." X muttered as he did as instructed...</p><p>He knew it worked the moments his lids were closed, for he became acutely aware of his surroundings and body.</p><p>It was lighter, freed of the upgrades that muck down his process.</p><p>He had lost practically all of Doctor light's change to his armour, and his ultimate Armour was gone... and yet.</p><p>And yet, he felt better, fresh and freed from a weight that had been slowing him down.</p><p>Even his HUD looked crisper and neat... as it was supposed to be.</p><p>He opened his eyes, noting how everything was brighter and crisper; he could see the sound more the ether, Photons dancing here and there and the delicious Aura the crystal-fruits produced.</p><p>X sat up; nothing easier for him to move, his body lighter and nimbler than before.</p><p>"X! you're awake!" He heard Douglas gasp. "Alright, what happened? Any pain? Weird thoughts? Anger?" The medic asked as he began osculating the revived reploid.</p><p>"I'm fine; my mind is clear." He took a deep breath in, nothing how <em>easier</em> it was to move his chest. And when he released it, all the accumulated heat dissipated at a rate that would make standing in a volcano comfortable. "I've never felt better... I feel so light!"</p><p>"Yeah, no wonder. Your system purged you of all armours and upgrade." Douglas grumbled, " I'm not even sure we should let out on the field until we can figure out what's left of Doctor Lights work."</p><p>X pursed his lips... "Yeah, I need to find one of his capsules," X admitted. "May I get off? I need to find Zero."</p><p>"I'll find him for you, Mister X." He heard a warbling voice from the ground, and sure enough, Gandharva was there. "Mangalananda got you some more crystal fruits to eat... I ate a few; they were good!" The slime grinned.</p><p>"Good to hear!" X stated with a smile of his own; He <em>was </em>feeling quite peckish after his impromptu nap. He got off from the cot and to his feet.</p><p>He stopped as he re-calibrated in record time; everything felt lighter and crisp. X then caught sight of his arms...</p><p>The armour now resembled glass, but after checked his speck, he realized that this new shell was made out of...</p><p>"Yeah, So I wanted to warn you, but... most of your armour turned into...</p><p>"Crystals." X breathes out as he gave himself a good look.</p><p>He was still mostly blue, but a power-conduit ran up and down his frame, reminding him of Lori. Nothing much had changed save from the otherworldy mineral his frame was made of.</p><p>'<em>Right... I need to check up on her.'</em> X thought as he sat beside Gandharva and began to consume the crystalline energy.</p><p>The grapes were sweet yet slightly astringent, the bananas rich and creamy with a hint of sour... and then there was this red and yellow egg-shaped fruit. So sweet!</p><p>It was... so much better than the tanks and the manufactured E-crystals.</p><p>"So, what did I miss? How long was I out?" He asked as he continued to decimate the grapes, his favourite by far.</p><p>"Well, We now know Kirby's power level... Basically, I'm looking forward to the next time the cyber-devil will show his ugly face." Douglas smirk devilishly. "He won't even be a snack for the little guy."</p><p>"Hn," X grunted as he drank the water proffered by Gandharva das. "Thanks, Gandharva."</p><p>"Just Call me Gandhi, friend." The blue blob warbles happily as he rubbed the side of his face against X's hands.</p><p>He liked this little blob, So pure.</p><p>"Um... X?" Douglas once again gained the blue bomber's attention. "There's... something else I need to tell you."</p><p>"It's about how I'm not a Light-bot, isn't it?"</p><p>The green medic's lips tighten to a thin line. "You're not even from here... from planet earth."</p><p>"Prithvi-devi!" Gandhi Happily warbled again.</p><p>"Yeah... Lori told me as such..." X mumbled.</p><p>'<em>It was not a dream then... I really am..."</em></p><p>"My name is Lor-Nil." The blue bomber stated. "And Doctor light didn't build me."</p><p>He felt the heavy yet gentle hand on Douglas on his shoulder. "It's alright... Your still you, and I don't think this revelation will change anything X... if your want to be called X, that is."</p><p>X felt the corner of his lips curled up. "Yeah... let's just keep X..." They once again fell.</p><p>Besides him, Douglas sat down beside the newly awakened and updated X. "Hey, d'you want to talk about it? We can exchange notes and see what's new and all that."</p><p>X nodded and gave his favourite medic a grateful smile.</p><p>About an hour later, They realized that, despite the new revelation about X's identity as Lor-Nil-Mappop, nothing else had changed... and they sent the absolutely sweet and adorable Gandharva to get Zero.</p><p>He was also quite keen to meet with Mangalananda Das, for he seemed to know more about X than even Doctor light, perhaps.</p><p>But first... He had to assure his boyfriend that no... it would not change anything in their relationship.</p><p>"You know... you're taking better than expected," Douglas spoke up from the floor, seemingly unbothered by his position.</p><p>X shrugged. "I've learned not to let change get to me over the years... there's no use making a fuse because something ended."</p><p>The medic nodded, once again reminded that X was much older than he looked.</p><p>Much... much older.</p><p>X got up from the floor and dusted himself off, using one of the shiny panels to check his look.</p><p>His armour still looked more or less the same. Maybe more like his first 'ultimate' armour, same as his eyes and face. The only difference was the material his body was made out of... and the lines that covered his body, power of unknown origin pulsating through them in gentle waves.</p><p>On his back was a sort of... panel like Zero, but instead of having a sword handle peaking at the top, a pair of slits was there instead.</p><p>He was about to inspect what they were when his treat detection system blared to life, warning him of a highly critical treat... a treat that went far above what Sigma would generate.</p><p>A smile split his lips; his Zero was there.</p><p>And Indeed, when the door open, his lover stood there, looking at X with a mixture of concern and relief.</p><p>The red ripper took one look at X's new default armour, his face unreadable.</p><p>Some fear bloomed in X's heart... His Zero was anxious.</p><p>Finally, after some interminable minutes...</p><p>"Who are you?" Zero asked, his quivering voice as clear as day for X.</p><p>"It's me, X..." [Your lover, nothing's change Z, I'm still me.] He sent via radio wave to his one true companion.</p><p>[Mangalananda told us your name was Lor-Nil-Mapop.] Zero sent, his jaw still clenched tight.</p><p>[Yes... Heaven's lost hope.] X sent back. [But... I'm still X; nothing will change that.]</p><p>[What are your directive?] Zero's data wavered.</p><p>'<em>He's scared.'</em> X realized as he scanned his codes for his directive...</p><p>[Z... my directives are to protect humanity and... to love you until our frames turn to atoms.]X assured his lover of this fact, his features automatically softening from the natural affection he felt for his tall love-bug. [Zero... I'm still me, I may have a past... but this past is gone, I don't even remember it.]</p><p>He could see Zero's shoulders lowered as tension somewhat left him.</p><p>X returned to Normal time and glanced at Douglas, who, understanding the wordless order, vacated the room, followed by Gandharva the blob and the penguin.</p><p>Gandhi gave a long look to Zero before he slithered away, the door closing behind him. Leaving the two lovers in the same room.</p><p>Both reploid stood in front of one another; the tension was still there.</p><p>"Zero... please speak to me," X spoke aloud, knowing that radio waves did not easily convey emotions. "If it's about my past... listen, we can just forget about it and continue on. I don't even remember being Lor-Nil... I just remember being X..."</p><p>Zero averted his eyes.</p><p>X took a step forward, extending his hand to Zero's handsome features.</p><p>The legendary maverick hunter shied away from the soft limb, breaking X's heart as he wearily gazed at his lover.</p><p>"Zero..."</p><p>Once again, silence fell on them. The only saving grace was that the usually fearless red riper was still in the room and not storming off.</p><p>"Z... is it about my interest in Bhakti?" This was something else that had seem to bothered Zero.</p><p>And maybe this erroneous guess would be enough to have his stubborn blond open up... even if it was out of anger.</p><p>"... no, I'm fine with you practising." A slight smile finally stretched his lover's artificial lips. "It's... would be good for you... and I know I won't be able to stop you anyway."</p><p>Those words hurt X more than he cared to admit, for it meant Zero was giving up.</p><p>X firmly put his hands on Zero's shoulder guards; he could feel the tension there. "Then what's wrong? Why are you afraid of me?" the Blue legend asked his Red Lover. "Please, Zero, speak to me."</p><p>Zero's gaze finally met X's crystalline own, he remained silent, but the blue bomber could just hear his thought process.</p><p>Finally, the Red Ripper took a deep breath in, bracing himself...</p><p>Only to be interrupted by the maverick alarm.</p><p>Putting this whole event behind themselves, the couple ran to the dispatching room to reconvene with Signas and his team; trouble was brewing again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey X, is everything alright?" Axl asked the blue bomber as they finished chasing the maddened crab Mechaniloid away.</p><p>Oh, and as it turned out, X had a pair of delicate, gossamer wings now. And he could fly, His buster seemed to be more efficient against viral opponents, and his agility state had improved dramatically.</p><p>All in all, his so-called down-grade was a welcome breath of fresh air.</p><p>But this was not enough to take his mind away from Zero's uncharacteristic anxiety and the fear that filled his eyes instead of the usual love.</p><p>X looked back at his recruit; for once, it seemed Axl was a bit more aware of his mental state than at usual. "Yes, I am. I may have lost some hardware but, I'm still good enough to take down mavericks." He gave a smile he didn't really felt. "You won't replace me anytime soon, Axl."</p><p>"Dude, That's not what I meant," Axl spoke with a frown. "You didn't do the eye thingy with Zero."</p><p>'<em>The eye th-... oh.'</em> Before every mission, He and Zero would hold gaze for some time. It was their way of kissing without showing others.</p><p>Zero wasn't comfortable yet, even after all of those years. And X could not help but agree at his preferred level of privacy.</p><p>If their relationship ever reached the ears of the mavericks... it was one liability they didn't want to have.</p><p>But it made dealing with Layer and quite a few love-struck reploid a bit more complicated than it had any rights to.</p><p>"Love-"</p><p>X quickly shut Axl up by pressing his palm on his mouth, they were in enemy territory. [Axl... please, can we talk about it later?]</p><p>[No... since there may not be a later.] The youngster of the group informed the father of all reploids. [Listen, I know you and Zero are all lovey-dovey behind everyone's back.]</p><p>X's cheeks flushed.</p><p>[Dude, I'm a recon expert, I know how to read people... but I'll admit, though, you had me fooled for three years.] Axl gave his mentor a closed-eyes smile.</p><p>X released the redhead as he pushed onward. The crab Mechaniloid was still at large, and until its carcass could be brought back to Alia and Palette, the hunt was on.</p><p>[X, don't run away from your feelings.]</p><p>[I'm not running away, Axl, I'm just keeping something private, private.] He warned over the com. [Don't you dare spread this... not even to Layer.]</p><p>[Dude, you know my best girl's been running after your beau ever since he rescued her from this reploid trafficking ring, right?] Axl reminded his superior.</p><p>[I know... but she's well protected, unlike Zero or me.]</p><p>[Dude, Zero's just a scardey cat about it.]</p><p>[No, we just don't feel our state as a couple to be all that relevant to our mission.] X angrily shot back. He had no time for this!</p><p>[ Alright, you got a point there.] Axl conceded to X's great relief. [ So, what the hell happened between you and Zero?] The imp of the group asked, and X knew he would be hounded until he would speak up. [Is it about your new look and identity... Mapop?]</p><p>Hope... his name was hope.</p><p>[Yes...] X admitted; he knew that beyond the cave's door would be some more maverick to eliminate.</p><p>Well, no. What he called maverick really were just bodies, for the real living entities, the soul that slumbered inside this shell made of matter was invulnerable to everything. What X was doing was simply to destroy this shell with the identification and the karma of a killer.</p><p>Well... not all of them were killers. Some were just doing this to escape, while others were corrupted by the virus.</p><p>It seemed that the New-Gens were not as virus-proof as they tough.</p><p>Still, he had to move on... Those had chosen the path of war... and X, being a warrior, had a duty to perform. All in the name of Krishna pleasure...</p><p>It made it... more palatable. Still, he could not wait for the end of it.</p><p>[Axl, please do not stick your nose into this... Just move on..., and I'm still X.] X told his junior as he walked to the other room, thankfully filled with only Mechaniloids.</p><p>[Nah, I like Mapop better.] Axl grinned as he shot a swarm of bee-drones. [Lor-Nill-Mapop.]</p><p>X sighed; another maverick uprising was starting, this he knew... and now he had to deal with some alien, his own emerging identity, Zero's mood and now Axl making fun of him...</p><p>'<em>Am I going through puberty now?' </em>X wryly wondered as he zoomed down the hallway, his lighter frame letting the First and the Last more movement.</p><p>Eventually, X felt Zero's tag and sent Axl forward; he needed to talk with Zero more, for he knew his lover's newfound weariness would affect the two of them.</p><p>Entering Noah's park lab, X quickly made his way to Zero's location. The only splash of colour in the whole damn place.</p><p>And indeed, there was his long-time lover, taking a break as he munched on some pastries.</p><p>Zero immediately noticed X... and froze.</p><p>"Hey, Zee. It's just me." X greeted kindly as he walked toward the taller reploid. "Can't I sit beside you?" he asked.</p><p>"Yeah... Sure. I cleared up the place some times ago." The Blond reploid informed the crystal-blue being. Still somewhat awkward.</p><p>X sighed. "Good, I wouldn't mind a break." He gratefully spoke as he sat down. "I swear, this crab had a thing for Axl; he wouldn't leave him alone..." Thankfully, X, despite his new natural glow, had not been hit with the same intensity by the rogue machine targeting system.</p><p>"He's a flying target... those tend to be the first taken out." Zero stated, still not looking at X.</p><p>"Yeah, I know." X rubbed the sore spot where the tiny missile had struck him. "By the way, I can fly."</p><p>"Oh, that's... nice, I guess."</p><p>"Yeah... it's like I have the ultimate armour on, but without the drain, the clunky kibbles and some error message," He admitted. "I guess... me being an alien explain why no earth-based technologies would work well." And why he could only use his custom armours for a time before they became too corrupted for him to use.</p><p>Zero grunted, munching on yet another pastry. Still not looking at X.</p><p>"I have a pair of wigs now, too... like, fairy wings." X rubbed the back of his helmet. " Axl's already calling me Mapop on every occasion; what other name do you think he will give me now?" he asked his partner.</p><p>Zero didn't even look at him... and he had stopped his eating.</p><p>No... this wouldn't do.</p><p>"Say... Zero." X addressed his lover. Gently leaning to his side. "What are you eating?" he asked.</p><p>It looked like a deep-fried pastry, but instead of a sweet filling, it seemed to be filled with...</p><p>X had no ideas; he was not so knowledgeable about human food; this was Zero's department, shockingly enough.</p><p>"It's called a Samosa, it a fried savoury filled with spiced potatoes and peas." Zero explained curtly. Taking another bite of the treat, closing his eyes in bliss, despite the tension pulling his frame.</p><p>He was trying to act normal... it could have worked with everybody else but X.</p><p>"Oh, I see... and where did you find it?" X asked again, wanting to speak to his lifelong partner.</p><p>"Ah... Kamala gave me a metal box filled with food... and I got hungry." Zero admitted.</p><p>This caused X to chuckled. "yeah, Sound like you, Zero... always hungry, aren't you?"</p><p>A small smile pulled at his lover's lips. "I can't help it."</p><p>Before the lull became too great, X spoke again. "So? Is it good?"</p><p>Zero turned his ice-blue gaze back to X. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He shot back with a smirk.</p><p>"Yes, and this is why I ask!" X huffed as he pouted. " Zee, you get to eat delicious food all the time."</p><p>"Military rations are not delicious." Zero flatly informed his lover as he tried to suppress his smirk. "But... A samosa is." His smile broke out. Making X's core flutter anew.</p><p>"... could you... share the data with me?" X shyly asked.</p><p>Zero's face closed.</p><p>"Zee!"</p><p>Silence fell on the two quarrelling lovers.</p><p>"... Your afraid of me," X stated. "You don't think I'm the same one you fell in love with."</p><p>Zero didn't answer.</p><p>"Zero." X gently put his hand on the taller reploid's knee. "... You know, you can check my code. You can scan me completely if it can prove you... that I'm still me." X finished quietly as tears filled his eyes.</p><p>He hated seeing his Zero like that... and there was nothing he could do.</p><p>"... Do I need to give you access to my environment?" Zero asked wearily.</p><p>"No... It will be a one-way scan and." there, X's swallowed thickly. "Z... if you find something suspicious... Take action."</p><p>End me.</p><p>Zero vented deeply, popping the rest of the Samosa in his mouth. "Alright... my radars still not picking up anything other than some Mechaniloid, and Layer's gave me the go-ahead for radio silence." he dusted his hands before getting to his feet, X followed suit, his... heart about to burst out of his chest.</p><p>Both reploid stood in front of one another; mere inches separated them.</p><p>Zero put his gloved hands on X's shoulder pads and, after receiving yet another assurance that they were in was still clear, lowered his head until his blue head-gem touched X's red one.</p><p>The first android closed his eyes as he felt Zero enter him, muting his warning about an intruding Dark entity entering his systems.</p><p>This was Zero... and this was not the first time he had let his lover in.</p><p>Zero scanned each and every line of code X had. Every process, every bytes and bit... every glyph...</p><p>X shuddered at the ghost-like touch of his lover; cold, yet warm with an affection not many would experience, incredibly old, yet incredibly young when it came to love... and a desperate need for love and affection... both to have, but mostly to give.</p><p>As Zero navigated his crystal blue lover, X tried to send him as much love he could...</p><p>For it may be his last chance.</p><p>Then... Zero pulled back and pressed his lips to X's own in a chaste yet, sweet kiss. Properly embracing the love of his life as tightly as he dared.</p><p>"... I doubted you..." He breathed out. The tension melting away until only some slight tightness remained.</p><p>"It's alright..." X waved off, relieved that this episode of their daily drama did not last longer than necessary, especially with the mavericks now active again. The crystalline being wrapped his arms around his lover's thin waist. "I... I wasn't empathetic yesterday."</p><p>"Well... You were right about the fruits to be safe..." Zero admired with a painful sight, hiding his face in X's neck space."X... I'm sorry... I... I want to tell you why...but..."</p><p>"You're afraid of Kamala-Kanta." X deduced as he gazed at his partner's icy gaze. "And you were-"</p><p>"X... can we talk about it later?" Zero pleaded.</p><p>X paused... and sighed with a fond smile. "You know what... You don't have to tell me." the crystal blue bomber conceded. They may be lovers for over eighty years and as good as married, but even the sweetest of couples held the secret to one another.</p><p>And X knew that there was nothing wrong with that... as long as no one got hurt in the end.</p><p>"Let's just finish the mission and go home, shall we?"</p><p>Zero released more tension as he embraced his lover closer as if trying to meld their body together by cyber-osmosis. After a good minute, he released him. "Yeah... Better not let Axl wait too long, The Kids a wisecrack."</p><p>"Like you used to be?' X shot back as he walked toward the exit.</p><p>"Yeah..." Zero's face turned dour. "He better enjoy it while it lasts."</p><p>'<em>Back at being grim.'</em> X couldn't wait for the end of the war... when he could finally de-arm his frame and live a simple life with Zero...</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, with the interstellar Vaishnava's.</p><p>"So, this is the settlement..." Dharadhara das hummed as he surveyed the vault door in the ground that gave the underground bunkers; he could feel the radiation and the dry-ish land under his feet.</p><p>Mangalananda and Lori were already on Magical decontamination duty. This place was now safe for whatever lived there, humans and otherwise.</p><p>They had set the canopy up, and Kamala had worked his magic and made enough sacred food to feed all the souls who called this place home. And with the help of the maverick hunters, had already fed more than 4,000 souls sacred food.</p><p>They still had enough to feed 11,000 and more.</p><p>The human beings had been scared and unsure at sight, but the moment Kamala began to act cute, whatever reservation they had melted.</p><p>And he could feel Bhumi-devi's sigh of relief at the touch of Krishna's pure devotee's lotus feet.</p><p>'<em>Don't you worry about anything anymore, mother... we will dance you and get all yer kinks out.'</em> The saintly King of Dreamland gently patted the most precious of planets in this tiny universe. She may be much older than him, but a mama always needed support, especially Dharani-Devi.</p><p>"So, how is she?" Madan-Mohan asked from the top of a boulder.</p><p>"Well, I heard other places are less calamitous but... this part of mother earth's aching. How 'bout you. Found more Vaishnavas?" Dhara anxiously asked the dark-blue knight.</p><p>The star warrior's eyes glowed blue before he closed them in rapture and a great bliss light Dharadhara's heart like a Gita verse filled with hope.</p><p>"I've managed to find a staggering amount of Vaishnava community around the earth. Nanda-gram, Nava-Vraja, new Vrindavan, Gita-Nagari, sharanagati, Nouvelle-Mayapur, and <em>so many more</em> are striving and healthy.'</p><p>A wide grin light Dhara's dace as he felt an anxious knot untie in his heart. <em>'Thank you, Krishna.' </em>And how bout India?" He asked for it seemed their usual point of contact had disappeared from all radars, literally.</p><p>"India has cut herself off from the rest of the world, the Yogi's of old protecting her glorious land with their mystic power. Vrindavana..." Madan's voice hitched, not out of sadness but bliss. "Vraja is glorious, filled with cows, flowers and the Holy name of Radhe-Shyam. Govardhana hill is still there, if much smaller and Mayapur..." The holy knight shuddered as tears flooded his eyes. "Oh Dhara, we need to go there; the sun and moon of Nitai-Gaurachandra are bright and full; children play and run in her streets without any fears and care, all wearing cotton and silken dress. There are <em>five</em> Gurukulas the size of small villages in the campus alone, and even young girls are trained at the level of their male counterparts, their mother's the best of teachers..." The ancient knight removed his mask as he openly sobbed, his lips stretched in a beaming smile. "It's... it's the Sankirtana capital of the world, now fully bloomed. I have counted over <em>ten types</em> of humans, all under the victory flags on Pancha-Tattva and Prabhupada... I... I've never seen such a flawless victory in all my years."</p><p>Dharadhara Das approached the swooning warrior, embracing his long-time friend in his arms before he could fall from his perch.</p><p>"It's beautiful... and... and in every town and village, there are at least a hundred to a thousand congregational devotees... except were we are," Madan informed the king as he regained his equilibrium, happy that no one had seen his ecstasy. "Not that I am at all surprised, considering where we are located."</p><p>"Meaning?"</p><p>"Afghanistan."</p><p>Dharadhara das stared open-mouthed as his long-time friend. "You've gotta be kidding me, knight! Afghanistan?"</p><p>Madan-mohan shrugged. "I wish... but it seemed the result of centuries worth of cow slaughter, musder and lawless [politic has finally caught up with this batch of soul... all other places connected with those who persecuted the Devotees of the Lord adharma are in ruins."</p><p>"<em>Ohhhh.</em>" Dhara shuddered as he prayed for all those poor souls. "Russia must be a crater as we speak."</p><p>"Oh no. Only Moscow and Pripyat. the Russian Vaishnava federation has twenty big temples, fourteen restaurants, five cow farms and thirty Vedic schools." Madan-Mohan reassured his king as he moved out of his loving embrace. "Apparently, Russia's reparation for the first generation was enough to pacify Krishna and prevent his Charka from mowing this part of the continent off."</p><p>"But Moscow still perished... same as all those places" Dhara closed his eyes. "And how 'bout America?"</p><p>"It depend, but the big cities of old are either inhabitable or filled with thiefs, murderes and raiders. what to say of the old cities like London, Rome, and Italy."</p><p>" Ah... let it be a lesson learn Madan; Don't kill, torture, hate or even frown to Krishna's dear Devotees. Yah won't survive."</p><p>Madan chuckled, his blue eyes never diminishing in their glow. The blue knight turned his glance to the Prasadam distribution area. Layer was navigating people toward any available sitting place, how many were fed, how many honoured Prasadam and how many were filled to the brim and Napping by Lori's generous shadow.</p><p>The purple-haired Reploid was glowing with bliss as she helped distribute God's mercy to those fortunate souls. Swaying at the Maha-Mantra that blasted out of Lori's onboard speakers.</p><p>Speaking of Lori, Mangalananda finally got to have a conversation with her, and the first thing his mage friend did was to profusely apologize to his ship-shaped daughter, now with a humanoid form.</p><p>She looked like X... but as a choir boy with a braid and a halo.</p><p>And after a brief explanation and... Yeah, so X also looked like a choir boy with a halo, and Lori had copied him. And she wanted to actively help, not just be the ride, the home and whatever else they needed with barely any awareness of what was going on.</p><p>The result was probably one of the quickest Prasadam distribution missions known to man.</p><p>And Dhara could not be happier about that.</p><p>"Why are you not helping the servers?" Madan-Mohan asked as he surveyed the horizon, his eyes changing colours.</p><p>'<em>Hmm... blue boy two's on edge... better be too.' </em>"Well, I <em>was</em> helping for the distribution when Layer let it slipped that ah was of royal blood... and I ain't that quick when it comes to dodging chunky Robo-feet, you know." Thank Krishna he took a dip in the fountain of dream. Otherwise, he would be pancaked.</p><p>"Ah... yes..." 'And Paramatma told you to be here for some other guest.' The heroic blue knight sent telepathically, confirming Dhara's divine hunch. He mentally reviewed where the rest of the star warriors were.</p><p>Kamala was entertaining the children with his dance and collections of pastimes, meaning the kids were all safe. Mangalananda and Lori were to the side, the mage using his magic to clear out more irradiated land for humans to use, and since Lori had regained her full sentience, she could also take full action.</p><p>And then there was Gandharva at the entrance of the Anakshetra, greeting guests in his inimitable way while taking their shoes, boots and whatever weapons they carried.</p><p>This was a place for peace, neither a raider's turf, a hunter's 'protected' land or maverick territory.</p><p>It was Dreamland's embassy on earth, and Dharadhara das would make sure his subject and esteemed guest would be well taken care of.</p><p>For they all belonged to his Gauranga and Nityananda, and those who belong to God were as good as their master.</p><p>'<em>North-east, they think Gandhi's a weak slime.'</em></p><p>"Hah!" The servant-king of Dreamland openly scoffed at the motion. "Those poor fools are in for a bad time then."</p><p>"Indeed." Madan's smirk was clear in his voice. "Question is, should we make our presence know?"</p><p>"Hmm." Dharadhara rubbed his lower beak. "Well, if those are the gundas commander Signas and Layer told us about... If we show ourselves, but not our full power. They will underestimate us... but know Kamala and you, it ain't all that possible to hide your strength for long..."</p><p>"We can keep playing the role of a trump card, or we can expose ourselves and make a statement." Mandan-Mohan synthesis what Dhara had been thinking. "Both choices have their advantage and their disadvantage."</p><p>"We could also just stick to chant Hare Krishna and let the Lord take care of 'em."</p><p>"No, I'd rather not." Madan quickly shot it down. "Sri-Krishna is already doing so much for us... the least we can do is to serve Him as his weapons."</p><p>"I hear ya, Knight. And that would be quite a statement 'bout The Gaudia." Dhara barked in laughter. "Some of us take the path of renunciation, other,s of hard-working householders... we chose to be warriors."</p><p>"And it would be wrong of us to let those maverick destroy our Anakshetra and kill innocents." Madan reminded the king of dreamland.</p><p>"Bah, Kamal won't be needing our help." The rotund king stated as he took his hammer from its dedicated space. "But I wouldn't mind a lil'bit of action." And with that, he hopped on his awaiting wheely rider and drove to were Gandharva was staring at the distance, seemingly lost to the world.</p><p>But both knew that the gooey matter could feel the disturbances in the air.</p><p>In the distance, Dharadhara das could somehow perceive some specks in the distance...</p><p>He took his CB and contacted Mangalanada. "Mag, we've got-"</p><p>"<em>Company, I know... Layer warned me that her fellow Navigator picked up some unknown sky-carries moving at our Location."</em></p><p>"Great! So... what's yer plan, Magi?"</p><p>"<em>We wait until they make their first move. I would love to see if we can salvage something out of this situation."</em></p><p>"Alright, sound like a sound plan. Are the guest safe?"</p><p>"<em>Dhara, you had to ask... you wound me."</em></p><p>"I take that you and Lori got everything under control then? Wonderful!" The king of dreamland closed his Radio and waved at Kamala.</p><p>The jiggly puffball with feet ran to the king of dreamland... just as a missile homed in on their position.</p><p>'<em>So... they have chosen death.'</em></p><hr/><p>Layer gasped in horror as the explosive approached their location. she contacted all that were at the Anakshtra, knowing that it was already too late. "ALL UNITS, BRACE FOR IMMINENT MISSILE IMPACT. I REPEAT, BRACE FOR IMMINENT-"</p><p>"Why are you panicking so much, miss?" Lori dared to ask. "It's just a missile."</p><p>Layer stared at the Electronic Life-From. "Lori... It's a <em>missile...</em> A <em>nuclear</em> missile."</p><p>The X-like entity nodded. "Yes... So as long as Kamala won't copy it, we should be safe."</p><p>Once again, Layer stared at Ship's A.I... and realized that <em>Kirby</em> was here...</p><p>She remembered the ancient blog and the sheer power of the diminutive being, the star warrior of old who truly held unlimited power... and maximum pink.</p><p>Layer returned her attention back to the Anakshetra, the missile right upon them...</p><p>It was the only one sent, but considering its size, the maverick only needed one to get the job done.</p><p>That was until Kamala ate it...</p><p>Layer sucked in a breath... what power would Kirby get for it? <em>'It can't be bomb; it's too big for that... So either missile or Crash...'</em></p><p>She dearly hoped it was not Crash, since this ability equated to a nuclear explosion; layer had no idea how Kirby's ability would interact with... everything else.</p><p>Kirby began glowing, and when the light faded, The pink puffball wore a yellow hard hat with a red band around it.</p><p>The being of unlimited power glowed again, transforming into an adorable missile of his own...</p><p>And off he went, to the maverick Flotilla.</p><p>For her part, Layer could only stare in awe... and then burst into laughter as Kirby began taking down the maverick fleet.</p><p>"Oh, look... It's missile Kirby." She heard Meta Knight declare over the radio. And the purple-haired reploid laughter redoubled in strength.</p><p>An hour later, and all enemies ships were down for the count... as he had expected.</p><hr/><p>Madan would almost pity those fools for their poor choice, but, having made the same mistakes, Flying Tiger received what he had sown.</p><p>And yet, despite his cleared defeat, he was still roaring about how the maverick had already won.</p><p>"-And Sigma shall rain down on all of you his divine judgment from above!" He roared a fanatical glint dancing in her contaminated eyed. "Repent, sinners' it's not too late to accept redemption! Accept the gift of darkness and Rejoice in your freedom!"</p><p>Behind the Mav-grade glass from, in the specialized interrogation/execution room set for this effect. Signa's lips could not be pressed closer for fear of causing atoms to split.</p><p>A few minutes before, X and Zero had returned with some dire news; Lumine had been Kidnapped by Vile, and the Mavericks had taken over the Jacob orbital elevator.</p><p>And now this... Sigma was back.</p><p>The Commander in chief wished he could just call in a day now and file all those reports that had unfortunately piled on his desk. But alas, he had to prepare for yet another war.</p><p>He now understood why X so desperately wanted to quit and work with politicians, for he, Signas, would take dealing with politicians over Sigma too.</p><p>He looked back at Flying Tiger, maddened with the virus and poisoned by the Plague's ideal. They could try getting more out of him, but how he was ranting and raving about how his Lord, Sigma, would same give him a human soul and lead the reploids to a new future where humans would be slaves to the reploids and plenty more nonsense the commander had heard a hundred time over.</p><p>Without much emotion, but knowing that this was the start of a bigger problem, Signas lifted the lid of the execution switch. He was about to press it and end this poor unit's life when a tiny pink tentacle touched his hand.</p><p>It was rather soft and pleasant, even to his under-performing receptors.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Kirby asked, sounding like a small child.</p><p>A child that, not forty-five minutes later, had turned into a reusable missile and had decimated an entire maverick flotilla as if it was nothing for him. A child that held an entire black hole in his stomach, a being of unlimited power that could decimate an entire dimension with a single huff...</p><p>He was the most adorable and sweet eldritch God Signas had the chance of meeting. An eldritch god that just so happens to worship another God, this one blue and extremely human-looking.</p><p>The puffball kept staring at Signas expectantly, his deep blue eyes never leaving the cold black one of the walking super-computer.</p><p>The innocence that shone in his eyes broke Signas' core; a child so young should not be in charge of saving the universe so often. Let alone seeing an execution.</p><p>"... This reploid has turned maverick; there's nothing we can do about him." He informed the child... if only his Navigators were here, they knew how to deal with the young and innocent.</p><p>"So you gonna keep him?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"No..."</p><p>"You gonna kill him?"</p><p>Signas kept his mouth tightly shut; to hear such a harsh word in the mouth of a child, no matter how powerful he was, gave the commander of the hunter a very bitter after taste.</p><p>Kirby turned to fave the raving maverick, still roaring the unending glories of Sigma.</p><p>"Kirby... have you ever... destroyed your opponent?" The ex-detective carefully asked that star warrior.</p><p>"I did... and I still do sometimes," he answered as if this was no big deal. "Can I speak to him?" The adorable abomination asked as he pointed at the ranting Animaloid.</p><p>Signas was about to deny this request when... he felt that to let Kirby speak to the best was the right thing to do.</p><p>He was... a warrior. And a... puffball of God, if X's assessment was true. And those tended to go to lost causes.</p><p>He entered his private security code and humoured the waddling outer-god. "You may go; you have five minutes," Signas said as he inclined his head.</p><p>"Okey!" Kirby bounced a few times on the console, not activating anything that shouldn't be on.</p><p>'<em>He's such a child.'</em> Signas sadly observed as he watched the surprisingly noisy puffball run into the second most dangerous room in Hunter's underground bunker.</p><p>He watched with some amusement as Flying Tiger freeze in fear at the sight of the eight-inch tall puffball, and who would blame him?</p><p>Signas now had nothing to say about his most fearless Man quivering in his boots, for who would not fear a diminutive being able to transform into a reusable missile after eating one?</p><p>"Hi~ii~" Kirby waved his little stub in front of the maverick; the sound he produced was oh so sweet and pure.</p><p>The tiger-like mechanimal flinched before baring his fangs. "<em>You!</em> You destroyed my <em>entire platoon!</em> Master Sigma <strong>will make you </strong><span><strong>pay for this!</strong></span><em><span><strong>"</strong></span></em></p><p>"Why are you mad?" Asked Kirby. "In wars, casualties will happen on both sides."</p><p>"Y<strong>ou and your humans were supposed to get blow up... not my platoon</strong>!"</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Because master Sigma said so!"</p><p>"Who's Sigma?" Kirby asked again, as the innocent child he was. Despite everything.</p><p>A glint entered Flying Tiger's maddened eyes. "Oh-oh! So you do not know the glories of Sigma?"</p><p>"Do you know the glories of Krishna?"</p><p>"Who is Krishna? A mere Human? An old reploid? A fancy new-gen?" The Animaloid asked, somehow, his maddened mind had been diverted from the cyber-devil... for a time.</p><p>"Krishna's God!" Little Kirby chirped. " He looks human, but he's the template for all of us!"</p><p>"<em><strong>AH!"</strong></em> The tiger scoffed. " What a pathetic god he is."</p><p>"He's the source of my power," Kirby informed the Animaloid. "And I did destroy all of your fleets by turning into a missile; Krishna can do infinitely more than me, you know."</p><p>At this moment, Signas began to calculate who powerful God is base on Kirby's power...</p><p>He could only hope what he had overheard from the star-travelling Vaishnava was true and that the Lord was not a smith-happy master.</p><p>Flying Tiger gritted his teeth. "You dared kill them."</p><p>"It was my duty," Kamala stated. "My friends were there, and if you would have destroyed our Anakchetra, then Krishna would have given the worst time ever."</p><p>"All my men are dead!" The big, mechanized cat hissed.</p><p>"What died?" Kirby asked as he tilted his body.</p><p>"WHAT DIED!"The maverick roared as he strained against his bonds, and Signas almost activated the destruction protocol. "<em><strong>MY M</strong></em><em><strong>E</strong></em><em><strong>N! MY FRIENDS... SIGMA'S </strong></em><em><strong>BEST</strong></em><em><strong> PLATOON, YOU PINK SHIT!"</strong></em></p><p>"No, they didn't," Kirby stated. "The body is already dead. What you called friends and your man were bodies animated by the soul. You don't grieve for scrap pieces, don't you?"</p><p>Kamala got up, the mark on his forehead more apparent. "What you miss and grieve for is the soul, what was inside the machines. The eternal soul consisting of eternity, consciousness and bliss. Atomic parts of God eternally separated from their source and naturally attracted to his service."</p><p>Flying tiger stared at the diminutive puffball, his CPU fans working overtime. His smile turned wry. "It must be so nice to be so innocent... Us reploids, we don't have a soul."</p><p>"Can you prove it?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"... I'm just a machine."</p><p>"That's just your body."</p><p>"I'm an A.I!"</p><p>"AIs don't cry and get mad over the death of units; that would be illogical." Kamala-Kantha quipped. " And why would an AI meant to fight in a war have emotions and desires other than fighting?"</p><p>At this moment, both Flying Tiger and Signas gained an epiphany.</p><p>"Mister Flying tiger... do you have any desires?"Kirby asked, breaking the maverick out of his... blown CPU. "Other's then fighting, I mean."</p><p>"I... I want..." the Animaloid closed his eyes as he shook his head. "Master Sigma's desires are above mine... I am one with him... I don't want anything other than his success." his voice turned dead, but it was clear he was fighting something.</p><p>"So, you want what Sigma wants, meaning Sigma has desires." Kirby raised one of his paws. "This means Sigma is a soul. And if Sigma is a soul in a mechanized body, then so are you!" The pink puffball happily concluded—his logic sound and clear.</p><p>The epiphany Sigma was having bloomed further, and he hoped to contact X soon, for only He knew the process of making a reploid.</p><p>"Master Sigma... said that... Reploids are the next evolution of the human race." The winged tiger words became stilted, his eyes unfocused. "He said Humans rejected us... because... we had no souls."</p><p>Kirby remained silent, just letting the maverick work out the data he had just received.</p><p>"I think... I have feelings and... I am... I am aware of my surrounding... and I want... I want to... Be loved and..." The flying tiger turned his wild eyes at the diminutive saint. "How... how does the world look to you?"</p><p>"I see the world differently than most," Kirby admitted. "But I don't see it in therm of hard Data and numbers; I see it through five different senses like sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Can you do that too?"</p><p>"I do." The maverick admitted, a dark aura swirling around him. His eyes filled with fear as...<em>something</em> consumed his frame.</p><p>
  <span>"<em>Help me..."</em></span>
</p><p>'<em>Oh no.'</em> The commander disconnected his console from the rest of the room; he had to get out of there... but Kirby!</p><p>Kirby was in grave danger, no matter what the ancient blog stated.</p><p>"Do you have desires?" Kirby asked again. Oblivious to the swirling vile energy.</p><p>"Yes... I want to get out of this place... <strong>I want to </strong><strong>destroy</strong>... I want to return to my girlfriend... I don't want to die." The last part came as a whimper. "I don't want to be a maverick... I didn't know... <strong>I want</strong> <strong>to return to Sigma</strong>... I... Help... Kill you... Find <em>T</em><em><strong>raitor I</strong></em><em><strong>nfiniru</strong></em><em><strong>...</strong></em>."</p><p>"Oh? You know my friend?" Kirby chirped, not at all disturbed, but the virus now pouring out of the maverick.</p><p>Flying Tiger... if it was even him at that point, aimed this otherworldly screech at Kirby as he broke out from his bonds and lunged at him. Kirby jumped to his feet and dodged the processed reploid.</p><p>Signas rushed to the door, about to rip the <em>entire wall </em>if it meant he could save this innocent hero from the plague.</p><p>The room was darker than what he remembered; his Virus alarm was blaring for a class five infection. It was everywhere, twisting Flying Tiger's frame in a mockery of what he was supposed to be.</p><p>It swiped at the pink puffball who dodged either in the air or by graceful dodging. And when the being of Chaos tried to shot at him, Kirby would open his mouth, suck it up and spew it back.</p><p>After some back and forth, the pink hero raised his tentacles above his head and produced a glowing pink heart.</p><p>Signas recorded everything from this moment on, it was clear Kirby was not a mere child but a warrior. A star warrior that would put to shame his finest men.</p><p>Flying Tiger made one final lung, his body having sustained enough wounds that the next strike from the diminutive being would end his life. Kirby dodged it and launched the glowing heart at the possessed Animaloid.</p><p>The moment the absolutely Cutesy item struck Flying Tiger, the maverick let out a... non-reploidien screech, writhing as if a super potent anti-virus had struck him.</p><p>There was a flash of light, so blinding and white that Signas could do nothing but helplessly cover his eyes. And when he reopened them...</p><p>Flying Tiger was kneeling on the ground, his whole frame clean from the ominous dark cloud.</p><p>The Animaloid led out a sigh as he brought his hand to his core, his previous madness now replaced with serenity. And when he opened his eyes, gazing at Kirby with gratitude, the sickly red was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>"You... you cured me." He breathed out as he grabbed his head. "I... oh, what was I thinking? <em>What was I doing?"</em> His horrified expression and guilt were enough to assuage any fear Signas may have.</p><p>Little Kirby waddled to the looming beast, touching his knee with his little tentacle. "It's alright, mister Tiger; Dark Matter has been exorcised, it won't make you do crazy things anymore."</p><p>"But I... I've killed... I've joined the side of the cyber-reaper." Flying Tiger lamented as he grabbed his head harder. "Oh... what a fool I was!"</p><p>For his part, Signas could only let out a sigh of relief mixed with some uneasy laughter...</p><hr/><p>"-And then Vile escaped with the Jacob Project director." Zero finished his case briefing. Still sore at his ancient ex-colleague's escape.</p><p>In the meeting room, Dharadhara Das, Kamala, Gandharva, Mangalananda, and Madan-Mohan were present, listening to the rest of Zero and X's detailed report.</p><p>Well... not Gandhi and Kamala; the two were taking a nap in jubilant Layers laps.</p><p>"I see, thus we have yet another maverick uprising on our hands, then." Signas resumed, not at all bothered by the news. And if he was, it was clear he considered Sigma's return no worse than a mild inconvenience.</p><p>"Sir?" X asked, unsure of how to react to his commander's nonchalance at the Slager's return.</p><p>"Yes, X?" He turned to the crystal bomber. "Do you have any questions?"</p><p>'<em>he's begging the question... alright, something's going on here.'</em> "Sir... We failed to save Lumine from Vile, and it's now been practically confirmed that Sigma's back again." X began, trying to hide his confusion and frustration. "Why are you... so calm... happy about it."</p><p>Signas lips twitched upward, putting X and Zero on a very scary edge.</p><p>"Gentleman... and Ladies." he turned to Palette, Alia and Layer. " Sigma had indeed returned... and another war is upon us. But-" He spoke sharply. "We have found a way to end the maverick treats permanently."</p><p>A very cautious hope bloomed in X's electro-heart. This was too good to be true... and he could not move past the disaster that had been Doppler town.</p><p>Commander Signas gestured to the slumbering Kamala-Kantha, and both heroic reploid felt their system freeze as they try to work out what it meant.</p><p>Well, it was not that hard, really.</p><p>Axl burst into joyful laughter as he began to babble about the possible outcomes. All ending with Sigma being eaten.</p><p>"Earlier this day, Star team-bravo established a soup kitchen by the civilian bunker number-12. Three hours later, Flying Tiger and his frigate launched an attack on the-"</p><p>"Ana-kshetra," Dharadhara mentioned from his bolstered seat.</p><p>"Ana-kshetra. A class four Missile was launched-"</p><p>X vented in sharply at the word class four...</p><p>"and, following Layer's account, Kirby ate said missile and, turning into one himself, destroyed the entire frigate and the carries. Leaving only the maverick alive." Signas proudly reported.</p><p>Madan-mohan chuckled fondly... but it could also be considered an empathetic wince.</p><p>He would have to ask Axl for some detail on that, being the resident Kirby expert he apparently was.</p><p>"Dedede and Meta Knight, with the help of Magolor, managed to subdue the maverick and bring him to HQ to be interrogated."</p><p>"Did you find anything?" Axl asked from beside Layer, a huge plate of food in front of him. "I mean, we don't usually keep them alive, you know."</p><p>"Yes, I know." Signa's smile grew a fraction wider... meaning; he was grinning like a loon. "I was the one who performed the interrogation. But, as you must all suspect, there was nothing I could get out of Flying Tiger saved that Sigma had sent him and that the virus turned him into a raving fanatic."</p><p>The entire room either cringed or pulled a face. "Fanatics are a plague, A'm telling you," Dharadhara grumbled. And X could not help but agree.</p><p>Before the maverick threat, the worst of humanity were found in those who followed holy words only to allow them to spread hatred, envy and indulged in their so-called superiority. And now, those same... demons, to take from the Vaishnava vernacular, were using this same hatred to widen the gap between humans and synth.</p><p>And there was nothing X could do about it, save the fight for those who would go on... for those who could heal whatever scars were left.</p><p>"Now, as you must have guessed, I was about to mercifully kill the poor soul when Kirby.-"</p><p>"Commander Signas," Madan-Mohan spoke up, raising his hand. "I would appreciate it if you would call us all by our initiated names, we would be eternally grateful."</p><p>Signas gazed at the diminutive blue knight... and nodded. "My apologies, Sir Madan-Mohan. I will be more sensitive to your needs from now on."</p><p>X quirked a brow. [Zee, you saw that?]</p><p>[I did.] his life partner answered. [Commander Signas deferred to him as if he was a superior.] Zero slightly narrowed his eyes. [I don't like this...]</p><p>[Zero, you don't like them at all. I don't know how much I can trust your guts now.]X mildly warned.</p><p>Zero remained quiet as Signas went on his tale, it was clear something amazing had happened if the ever-serious and to the point Signas was telling everything with detail.</p><p>"Kir... Kamala-Kantha das asked me if he could interrogate the maverick. And on a hunch, I let him." By this point, Signas had a crooked smile, an actual smile. "He spoke some interesting philosophy, the Vaishnava Philosophy. And this caused Flying Tiger to reveal how Sigma's recruiting reploids."</p><p>"Wait!" Axl interrupted. "You mean to tell me that you let Kirby-"</p><p>"Kamala."</p><p>"talk philosophy to a maverick? And this somehow got you <em>the intel</em> about how Pig-face recruits?"</p><p>"I just did." It was now a fully blown smile. "As it turns out, Sigma simply plays on the reploids frustration at not having a proper soul while humans do. And how, since we are..." He raised his hands and made air quotes. " "Soulless." he managed to gain a ludicrous amount of followers by fanning the flames of discontent, infecting them with the plague once they were open to it."</p><p>The rest of the hunters, the ones who were called the Sigma Special Unit, worked out this implication.</p><p>Finally, the loudmouth of the group and most promising recruit spoke. "But... we don't have a soul," Axl stated, but to X, it sounded like a question.</p><p>For X, he already knew the answer.</p><p>"Commander Signas, permission to speak?"</p><p>"Granted"</p><p>All eyes went on X, who tried not to shuffle uncomfortably.</p><p>This was not his usual armour, and he knew the news of his extra-terrestrial origins had already circulated around the base.</p><p>Thankfully, all who served those halls knew that his B-rank was only symbolic; he was actually at the same level as his beloved Zero.</p><p>"I will keep it short." he began. " No one can make a soul. And no one can program something as perfect and complete as human consciousness."</p><p>Radio waves began to traverse the room from reploid to reploids. Those used to be too faint for him to really follow, but with his newly restored frame, he could see them as clear as day.</p><p>He tried not to let his aching heart show... if he would have been able to see them, would he have been able to stop Double in his track? And how about Doppler and his goons?</p><p>Would he have been able to stop Sigma's numerous uprising?</p><p>'<em>It's in the past, and while I can't change how it went, I can still try to improve how it will go.'</em> Especially now that he had the peace formula.</p><p>"What I will tell you right now is considered a class 3 industrial secret."</p><p>"A class three?" Palette asked.</p><p>"meaning, complete secrecy, not to be divulged under any circumstances... it's how reploids are truly made." Excitement made his core vibrate. "Being the first template and the assistant of Doctor Cain, I was privy to every part of the process." He raised his hands; I won't bore you with the entire thing, just how consciousness enters the frame."</p><p>The moment he said that, every ear, audio and whatever Kamala and his Cohorts had were on him.</p><p>"The frame, whether custom build or mass-produced, is empty when Cain industries received them. They are basically computer's with a few basic AI's."</p><p>Pallet raised her hand. "But... aren't we AI?"</p><p>"No." X finally revealed, now free from the corporate gag Cain had applied all those years ago. "All reploid, saved for me, are ghost fettered to the specialized frame by a machine... A magical machine."</p><p>"No way."</p><p>"That can't be right."</p><p>"Yo, Mapop, stop pulling our legs; you suck at lying anyway." Axl jeered, not impressed at all by what he had heart.</p><p>"Who said I was lying?" He challenged. "This machine was replaceable, and thus, all reploid birthing centres have a model."</p><p>"Yes, I do remember reading about such a machine in the ancient Halcandrien scrolls." Magolor... Mangalananda spoke up as he floated up. "This machine, the 'soul melter.-" Dharadhara das made a noise of tired disgust. "Is a nifty artifact that prints highly specialized Yantras, copper panels etched with tantric etherial-"</p><p>"Mango, could ya please keep it simple for us lowly mortals?" The King of dreamland asked.</p><p>"Basically, This machine makes the souls stuck in their subtle bodies able to be bound to gross matter again. Dolls, weapons, computers..." X looked around the room, letting his eyes meaningfully rest on each reploid present. "Androids."</p><p>"So... we used to be humans... dead humans," Palette spoke with a quivering voice as she worked out the implications. "I... sometimes Had dreams that I was human..." She hugged herself.</p><p>All around the room, all reploids remained silent as their reviewed every single quirk and dream they had, now seeing them under a new angle.</p><p>"If only this had been spread to the public at large," Alia spoke with a quivering voice. "The maverick threat would have been less severe... X, why didn't you say anything about this?" She asked the blue bomber, the betrayal clear in her voice.</p><p>X lowered his head. "I couldn't... Doctor Cain Gagged me. Saying it was to prevent copyright issues." At first, X had seen the logic behind it, but now, after ninety years...</p><p>Oh, how much trouble, how much tragedy they could have prevented if the truth would have come out?</p><p>True, X could also conceive more problems, now that the ethics of the whole act was put into question, but he knew the rempant reploids abuse would have been less, and who knows, maybe X and Zero would have been the only models.</p><p>There would have been no Mavericks... and... maybe no Zero either.</p><p>[Hey, X.] His long-time lover raised him. [It's alright, it's not as if you knew everything would have gone to hell.]</p><p>X let out a small sigh. [I know... and what happened was our global karma, there not much I could have done anyway.] Thank God... Thank Krishna he had read the Bhagavad-Gita as it is. Otherwise, X would be drowning in an endless ocean of self-loathing.</p><p>Besides, Kamala was here; this would not be the same sad song and dance and...</p><p>"Signas, you told us about how Kamala was the maverick cure." He reminded everyone, moving them away from the sad and disturbing truth that being a reploid carried.</p><p>Another smile lit Signas ever serious face. "Indeed, after realizing his nature as a soul, Flying Tiger flew into a rage and lunged at our intrepid puffball." the commander gestured at the still slumbering Kamala. " I will readily admit that I feared for his life, but this wonderful being ... he purified Flying Tiger with a heart-shaped..."</p><p>"It's called a friend heart," Madan-Mohan informed the commander. "It's basically the unlimited love Kamala holds in his heart. And divine love, being supremely powerful, can cleanse the heart of all the dirt, dust and evil spirit that afflicts the victims. And, in most cases, the freed entity will become an ally to Kamala-Kantha out of gratitude."</p><p>"I see."</p><p>"Say. I have a question." Axl raised his hand. " In the game, when Kirby uses a friend hearts on an enemy, they fall in love with him and follow him around, even dying for him." the ex-bounty hinter crossed his arms. "Isn't it like brainwashing?"</p><p>"If I may." Mangalananda once again took centre stage. " What you call games are really edited accounts of our adventures. So, in the game, it's really just the AI switching from enemy to allies. But in reality, it's the soul receiving the divine creeper of Bhakti, and take his first step back home, back to Godhead."</p><p>"Aaaand you've just lost me." Axl quipped. "And what does God has to do with it? The old man didn't help us any, you know?"</p><p>"Krishna's not an old man, and he keeps sending his representative and expansions down to save you all." Kamala yelped with searing mild anger. "It's just the so-called intelligent scientist and leader that kept rejecting his help... and Krishna never wanted his Wife to suffer so much either."</p><p>"It's alright, Kamala..." Signas addressed the irked Vaishnava. Then he turned a reproving eye to the second youngest of the hunter.</p><p>"Geez, what's wrong with all of you?" Axl huffed as he crossed his arms across his chest.</p><p>"Axl!" Alia warned.</p><p>"It's alright... I'm a bit on edge, that's all." Kamala apologized. " I can't stand hearing someone calling Krishna an old man... Dark matter really is on earth." The pink puffball revealed, his eyes never leaving Zero. "Like... I thought it was just a virus, like you told us, but... What makes all the reploids mad without reason and makes them move like murderous puppets is none other than Dark Matter"</p><p>Besides X, his long-time partner stiffened with fear.</p><p>[Zee? What's going on?] X asked over his connection.</p><p>[I... I don't know, and I don't like where this is going.]</p><p>"Wow, wait. Hold on." Axl exclaimed. "What the hell are you implying?"</p><p>Signas once again stepped forward. "He is implying that the Maverick virus has nothing to do with a computer malware, but an extra-terrestrial threat."</p><p>X could feel Zero's body growing silent, a defence mechanism when his long-time lover wanted to hide.</p><p>[Zee, It's fine.]</p><p>[No, no, it's not... X, I'm the prime carrier, meaning...]</p><p>[Signa's whatever you are about to say, be careful about it, Zero's panicking.] The Blue bomber warned his commander and junior in age, giving the taller build a warning leer.</p><p>"Zero, I'm not accusing you of anything." The commander began, his voice calms despite the loaded gun he held. "I have been researching the maverick virus and the role you played in the pandemic."</p><p>"I know." Zero nodded, his movement a bit too jerky for X's taste.</p><p>[Signas, sir... permission to hold Zero's hand?] He asked his superior, the only other one who knew of their relationship.</p><p>[Permission granted.] The hulking super-computer... another soul in an inappropriate body, sent back, a tiny smile on his lips.</p><p>X slipped his hands in Zero's quivering own; if his lover would be human, he would be sweating buckets.</p><p>[It's fine, Z, everything will be alright. Your just less... earthly than what he expected.]</p><p>[I'm so sorry...]</p><p>[It's alright... Everything's fine, Zero and nothing short of death will stop me from loving you.]</p><p>Zero squeezed back the crystal bomber's hand. [... Same here.]</p><hr/><p>Dark energy, Dark Matter... once again, a Mega Man/ Kirby crossover guys. it's not that hard.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>